Tides Change
by Cassy27
Summary: Loki doesn't want a certain device falling into Doom's hands so he joins the Avengers for this one time quest. However, things get a bit out of hand and Loki finds himself trapped in a situation he might not get out of. Will Thor help him or not?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Summary: When Loki doesn't want a certain device falling into Doom's hands, he does the only thing left possible: he joins the Avengers for this one time quest, but things get a bit out of hand.**

**AN: This will be a short story, just something to fill me time for a few days. I will update quickly and I hope it will be enjoyed. There are no pairings here. Oh! And the character of Adler is very loosely based on the 'Adler'-character from White Collar. Anyone watching that show?**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 1**

"We can't allow Doom to get his hands on that device," Fury said, "especially not as long as we don't know what it does exactly and the fact that Doom shows such an interest disturbs me. Tony, have you learned anything more?"

Tony Stark straightened his back and widened his eyes. He seemed to have been lost in thoughts for the last five minutes, but after clearing his throat, he managed to recollect himself. "I've done all the research, but nothing new. All I can say, is that the device requires a lot of energy. It's signature is very unique which is why I managed to track it to a certain Count Adler, but it has fallen off my radar ever since."

Fury frowned. "I have heard that name before."

"Everyone should have, though he is a difficult man to find. No one even knows what he looks like." Tony let his gaze slide across every present face. "He is active in the black market for magical devices. He is a known ally of Doom and Loki so we still have to consider the possibility that Loki might be interested in this device as well."

"I am."

Every pair of eyes turned to the new presence. Loki stood before a pair of closed doors, his hands folded behind his back and his face sporting a massive grin. "You have a terrible security problem."

Fury did not appear amused. "So it seems."

"I don't want Doom to get a hold of the device," Loki said, ignoring Fury, "and I'll do anything to help prevent that." He turned towards his brother and took a step forward. Natasha instantly reached for her gun while Clint conjured a knife out of nowhere. Loki diplomatically ignored them. "I am here to offer my assistance in acquiring the device from Count Adler."

Thor slowly stood up, his hands leaning on the smooth table surface while he maintained eye-contact with Loki. "If you do not want Doom to have the device, then why don't you buy it yourself? Or steal it yourself?"

Loki chuckled as if Thor's words were hilarious and foolish. "Count Adler and I have long been allies. I don't want to go against him that obviously. It would ruin any chance of future partnerships."

"This is all very..." Tony drew Loki's attention away from Thor, "interesting, but why do you assume that we want to accept your help? We are more than capable on our own."

"That is what you think," Loki merely stated, "but I know Adler and I know his weaknesses. He'll have the device under tight security. You'll need to get close to him to steal his _key_."

"Key?" Steve asked. "I don't think Adler would have a key to a safe or something along those lines."

"It's not a regular key," Loki explained while rolling his eyes, "it will unlock a safe, yes, but then you'll have to verify that you are in fact Adler. That's why you need to get close to him. You'll need his fingerprints and his eye-scan. Only then will you be able to access the vault and procure the location of the device."

"Why are you telling us this?" Fury demanded to know. "I can't imagine that you would just help us without a demand in return."

"Not this time," Loki smiled deviously, "I just want the device to stay out of Doom's hands."

"And in the mean time fall into yours?" Thor asked.

Loki shot him a dark glare. "I would give you my word, brother, but you no longer trust my words."

"You _are_ the God of Lies," Steve stated.

"They should call you Captain Obvious," Loki mocked. He unlocked his hands and folded them again before his stomach. "Adler is having a party tonight and I happen to know that women are his weakness. Therefor I suggest that SHIELD buys Miss Romanoff a pretty dress and sends her undercover."

Natasha scoffed loudly. "I don't do dresses."

"Hold on," Fury said, "if your Intel proves to be correct, then this might just be our best shot."

"You can't be serious," Clint objected loudly, "we can't trust him!"

"Thank you," Loki grinned.

"I am not saying we are trusting him," Fury countered, his one eye focused dangerously on Clint. Then he turned to look at Loki. "If this is a trick, we will arrest you and throw you in our deepest dungeon without any way of escaping and you can be damn sure we have the means."

"Deal."

"All right," Fury said, turning to the Avengers, "Romanoff, I suggest you go shopping."

oOo

Thor kept his eyes constantly on his brother's face. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but all that he found was boredom. Loki looked like he could literally eat his own shirt as his bright green eyes were unfocused on the white fabric. Thor knew that Loki was constantly thinking about all sorts of subjects and he wished he knew his brother enough to know those subjects right now.

They weren't close anymore, however, and Thor regretted that. He still loved Loki, even after all the trouble they had been through. Family didn't end with blood and Thor wished Loki felt the same.

Now they were cooped up together in a small SHIELD van. It was parked down the street of Count Adler's mansion and Thor hoped they would remain unsuspicious. The last thing they wanted was one of Adler's security men to come knocking on their door., though Thor was sure Loki could solve that situation instantly.

"Is she inside?" Loki suddenly asked.

Thor had been deep in thought and he hadn't even noticed the shift in Loki's behavior. Loki leaned forward, but only slightly while his eyes were entirely focused on the small screen decorating the inside of the van.

"Yes."

Thor jumped at the sound of Coulson's voice. He had completely forgotten his presence and Thor tried his best to not growl at the man.

"Can you stay focused, Thor?" Loki's voice was drenched with mockery. "We have a task to fulfill here."

"I still don't understand why you are here," Thor said, ignoring his brother's comment, "you could have given us the information on Adler and left."

"But I didn't," Loki grinned, "I thought you might appreciate my company."

"_Loki_."

"I don't want you to screw this up, Thor," Loki instantly said, only truth in his voice, "this is important and no matter how much the world relies on you and your buddies, I don't. I don't trust anyone and I certainly don't trust you."

Thor could only look into Loki's eyes. He felt hurt by those words, but of course he couldn't show it. Weakness was something he had to avoid from now on. It would only aid Loki in his quest to fight him.

"They are in the ball room," Coulson announced, drawing back the brothers' attention, "now which one is Adler?"

Loki's gaze traveled across the screen, but it was difficult to get a full picture of the room, let alone of all the faces present. Natasha was wearing a small camera in her necklace while Tony accompanied her with a camera and wire in the pocket of his vest. They honestly looked like a decent couple and Thor was still amazed that both of them had agreed to the mission.

Thor remembered Tony mentioning a certain James Bond, but that name did not sound familiar to the God of Thunder. He made a mental note to himself to search that name on the internet, though he had grown afraid of that virtual place. He had once – how had Tony called it? - _googled_ himself and the results had been terrifying.

"Wait!" Loki straightened his back and leaned closer to one of the small screens. "Tell her to turn left. I think I saw him."

Coulson spoke into a microphone while Thor forced himself to stay focused. He could already feel Loki's accusing eyes on his back and he was not in the mood for one of his speeches about incompetence.

"There." Loki pressed a finger on the screen, a small head floating just above his nail. Thor leaned in closer as well and saw a decent looking man wearing a very expensive suit. "That's Adler," Loki informed them, "tell Natasha to turn on her most charming smile. He isn't easy to seduce, but she should manage to get him alone in some dark room. She is pretty after all and Adler loves pretty women."

"I better not tell Natasha this," Coulson half joked, but he turned back to the microphone and gave orders to his agent.

It was then that Thor's eyes met Loki's. "See," the youngest brother said, "this isn't too difficult, is it? I don't know why we don't work more often together. We are a good team."

"Right until the moment you stab me in the back." Thor had said the words without much thought and he regretted them immediately. He watched Loki's eyes darken dangerously, but a thin smile spread across his pale lips.

"Only makes it more exiting," he said, "will I, won't I? I suppose you are going to have to wait and see."

"So you admit there is more to this?" Thor knew Coulson was listening intently to their every word, but he didn't care.

"I never said that," Loki easily waved off Thor's question, "let's focus on Natasha and Adler, shall we? It seems her charms are a bit rusty."

Thor knew what Loki was talking about when he witnessed Natasha smiling awkwardly on one of the screens. It seemed she and Tony had split up so that she could focus entirely on Adler, but the Count didn't appear impressed.

"She is handling him all wrong," Loki said, his voice filled with irritation, "she is _boring_ him!"

"She's trying her best," Coulson defended her.

"She's pushing him away," Loki snapped, "she is dull. I thought she was one of your best agents so I'm deeply disappointed."

Thor had to admit that flirting was not Natasha's strong suit. Then again, she was the kind of woman that had other things on her mind than dresses and make-up. "Adler isn't the easiest man on this earth, Loki, you just said it yourself so give her a chance."

Loki bit down on his lower lip and painfully watched how Adler yawned. "That's it," he said, throwing both his hands into the air, "I can't bear to watch this any more. It's torture for both me and Adler."

Loki stood up and Coulson was up on his feet in no time. "Where do you think you are going? You're not allowed to leave this van. I am allowed to shoot you."

"I'm going to save the situation," Loki merely said, "please inform Natasha and Tony that they have to back off. You should be thankful that I'm here to help you out."

Thor didn't understand. "What exactly are you going to do?"

Loki only smiled deviously. "What I do best."

oOo

Tony had been holding a glass of 10 year old scotch when he first set eyes on the new appearance. She was tall and slender with a thin face and sharp cheekbones. Her lips were ruby red and her eyes radiantly green. The color matched her dress perfectly and Tony found himself unable to look away from her.

She was beautiful.

So thought every other man in the ballroom and Tony only managed to look away from her when Natasha poked him painfully with her elbow.

"You're drooling," she muttered in embarrassment. Had he not been on a mission, Tony would already be talking to her, but tonight was no night for such pleasantries. "Tony, we have to get out of here," Natasha continued, "this isn't working and I'm done smiling for today."

It was then that Tony heard Coulson's voice in his ear and he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Natasha," Tony said, his eyes still intent on the woman, "if Coulson isn't planning a massive episode of Punk'd with Ashton, then that woman...is Loki."

Natasha's mouth dropped open and Tony swore he saw contempt in her eyes. "Impossible," she concluded, "Loki is..."

"Tall, skinny, green eyes?" Tony draped an arm around Natasha's shoulders and gently lead her away from Loki who was already talking to Adler. "It's him and I can't believe I was turned on just a second ago. Talk about embarrassment. Coulson ordered us to keep an eye on him...her... What should we call Loki now?"

"How about 'tramp'?" Natasha smirked.

"Well, someone is jealous," Tony countered, smirking himself, "let's just keep close in case Loki is trying to pull something here."

"All right," Natasha nodded, "we better find them first."

"Find them? They are right there..."

"They were, yes," Natasha inhaled sharply, "you _have_ to be a tramp if you manage to have a man follow you that quickly."

"Or Loki has some serious skills," Tony said, deep in thought.

"_Ugh_."

**AN: interested in more?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Summary: When Loki doesn't want a certain device to fall into Doom's hands, he does the only thing left possible: he joins the Avengers for this one time quest.**

**AN: Thank you for the reviews, alerts and faves. I'm glad you're enjoying this. I apologize for the mistakes. I'm trying my best to avoid them, but some always slip through... Enjoy!**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 2**

Loki laughed at the compliment that was thrown his way. He had met Adler four times in his life and each time, he had believed the man to be a gentleman. One of the kind you couldn't find anymore in this modern world, but as every second passed, Loki was proven more and more wrong. It seemed Adler was just like every other man on this earth.

He was handsome, having light grey eyes and a charming smile. He was cleanly shaven and his hair was slicked back graciously. His suit had a deep blue color that screamed 'expensive'. His cockiness ruined everything, however.

It was disappointing.

"This is an extraordinary collection you have," Loki mused, making sure his smile remained glued to his face. Though now it was _her_ smile and _her_ face. It had been a while since Loki had worn this female form, but he was already used to it. "I love paintings by Goya. He was an exquisite artist." Loki could know; he had met the man once in Rome.

"I could tell you have a fine sense for art," Adler said, casually draping an arm around Loki's waist. Loki had to restrain himself from slapping the hand away, but he managed to keep on smiling. Soon he would be alone with Adler in his bedroom and then the real mission could begin. Honestly, how had Natasha screwed this up? Adler was easier than Stark when it came to seduction.

"Do you have any other paintings?" Loki gazed into Adler's grey eyes. "I would love to see some more of your wonderful collection."

"Are you sure we haven't met before?" Adler asked, narrowing his eyes.

Loki chuckled. "I don't think so," he said softly, "I would remember you and I'm sure you would remember me."

"It's just...your eyes," Adler slid a finger across Loki's cheek until it landed on his lower lip, "they are stunning."

"Thank you." Loki knew it was now or never and so he leaned forward and kissed Adler passionately. He could feel Adler's desperation and Loki forced himself not to throw up in his mouth. There was nothing so off-setting as the taste of vomit.

Adler guided Loki towards his bedroom, never unlocking his lips from the woman in his arms and Loki chuckled and giggled and kissed him back. He knew he would have nightmares about this for centuries to come, but it had to be done. Otherwise Adler would sell the device to Doom and Loki didn't even want to think about those consequences.

Using his foot, Adler pushed open the door of his bedroom and Loki followed him inside. Falling down on the bed, Adler began to unbutton Loki's silk, green dress and now Loki had had enough. Having the man stick his tongue down his throat was one thing, but having his hands on his body?

In one smooth movement, Loki rolled over and pinned Adler down.

"Ooh," Adler grinned, "kinky."

One quick spell and a dagger appeared in Loki's hand. Adler's eyes widened instantly, but Loki already had his free hand covering Adler's mouth before he managed to call security. "No need to shout, Adler," Loki smiled, "if you cooperate, nothing bad will happen."

Adler's grey eyes darkened, but he didn't try to cry out or move away from Loki. "Good boy," Loki mocked, "now tell me where I can find the device you are going to sell to Doom."

"And then what?" Adler asked as soon as Loki removed his hand. "You're going to steal it from me? I'd rather deal with a crazy woman than with an angry villain."

"Are you sure about that?" Loki leaned in closer and pressed the cold, steal blade of the dagger underneath Adler's eye. "You know what they say: hell has no fury like a woman scorned. And you haven't been treating me very kindly, have you?"

"Have you seen the way you behave?"

One small cut and Adler squirmed beneath Loki in pain. "That was a bit uncalled for, wasn't it?"

"You're crazy!"

"I am," Loki cleaned the blood from the dagger by swiping it across Adler's vest, "I take pride in it. You should see my brother, though, he is so very disappointed in me, but he still has hope. I think he believes I can still be saved."

"Then he is an idiot."

"He is," Loki inhaled deeply, "but he's still my brother and you just insulted him." Another cut, but Adler managed to keep himself from squirming this time. "Now, where can I find the device? I do have other plans for this evening so don't keep me here all night."

Adler remained silent.

"Fine," Loki sighed, "have it your way." He raised his dagger and was about to slam it down when the door behind him flew open and a heavy voice called out.

"_Stop_!"

Loki halted mid-air and rolled his eyes. "Now is not the time, Tony," he said, "I'm about to torture this guy until he tells me everything I want to know."

"We don't _do_ torture," Tony said, entering the room and taking the dagger from Loki's hands. "Get off of him. We'll handle it from here."

Loki threw Tony his darkest glare, but Tony only matched him evenly. A long second passed, but Loki grudgingly complied. After all, he still needed the Avengers' cooperation in his plan. "You should be grateful, Adler," he said while turning to look back at the man beneath him, "I would have had a lot of fun with you."

"That's enough," Natasha warned.

"Fine," Loki spat and then stormed from the room. He never was allowed to have any fun.

oOo

The room was bare with nothing more than a table and two chairs. Loki should have known that SHIELD would not have treated him kindly after the incident with Adler. Not that Loki cared. As soon as he no longer needed SHIELD's help, he was out of here. Right now, every muscle in his body screamed at him to leave, but he remained seated calmly.

When Thor entered, however, Loki felt himself tense, but he did nothing to avoid his brother's glare. He only returned it with a grin since he knew exactly what was coming. At least he was back to his male form which was more comfortable.

"What the hell was that back there?" Thor placed both hands on the smooth table surface and refused to look away from Loki's green eyes. His voice was surprisingly soft.

"What was _what_?"

"Don't play dumb, brother, Tony told me everything. You were about to stab Adler with a knife!"

"Oh, please," Loki leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, "I wasn't going to stab him."

"Then what were you going to do with the knife?"

Loki shrugged. "Just...poke him."

"You were going to poke him...with a knife. Isn't that the definition of stabbing?"

"If you think that's the definition, then I suggest you pick up a dictionary."

Thor slammed down a hand on the table, but Loki did not even flinch. He was used to his brother's temper and he knew when to expect an outburst like this. "You were going to torture the man, Loki," Thor said angrily, "can you not see how wrong this is?"

"If I'd had my way with Adler," Loki defended himself, "I would have found the location of the device in a matter of minutes. How long did Steve and Tony have to interrogate him before he revealed the location?" Thor said nothing. "Right, fourteen hours."

"Well, we couldn't stay there to carry out our plan, could we? It would have only been a matter of minutes before security was all over us and we can miss that kind of attention. Steve and Tony are retrieving it as we speak and no harm was done."

"All right then," Loki grinned, leaning back in his chair again, " then let's forget about this."

"I don't understand you, brother," Thor sighed, "you were never like this before."

"A lot has changed."

"So it seems."

oOo

The reading were unnatural and Tony couldn't figure out what they meant. Half a mile north lay Adler's secret facility where they would find the device that had attracted so much attention. Tony didn't trust any of it. For Doom and Loki to be interested, it had to be powerful. For Loki to aid the Avengers in retrieving the device, it had to be _really_ powerful.

"According to the Intel," Steve said, calling back Tony's attention, "there are forty men down there, all heavily armed. The device we seek is hidden in one of the basements. Adler told us they have been running tests, but that nothing interesting came up."

"I don't trust a word Adler told us," Tony said, "he is an ally with both Doom and Loki. Let's not forget that."

"Are you saying this could be a trap?"

"Yes."

Tony stepped out of the vehicle, Steve following him. From the outside, the building looked abandoned, but on the inside, there was a small army waiting for them. This could get tricky and bloody and Tony wasn't in the mood for that. He wanted this over with because the very idea of working with Loki send shivers down his back.

When they reached the front doors of the building, Tony and Steve didn't hesitate. There were about fifty SHIELD-agents covering their backs, but when it came to it, they relied on each other. As soon as they broke through the heavy doors (they looked fragile, but they had been heavily fortified), they were overrun by opponents.

The battle was a short one, however, and Tony and Steve quickly managed to get to the lower grounds. The device had to be around somewhere, but as soon as they reached to final basement, their eyes widened when they spotted the surprise presence.

"It took you long enough."

Tony made sure his weapons were ready to be fired and Steve held up his shield.

"Doom," Tony growled, "aren't you early for your appointment?"

"Did Adler tell you I was meeting him tomorrow?" Doom's face was hidden behind a metal mask, but Tony could hear him smiling from a mile away. "He is a good ally, but not a perfect one. How long did you have to interrogate him before he revealed all his secrets?"

"Only hours," Tony said, feeling pleased about that.

"Weak," Doom sighed, "he's like a little boy trying to keep up with the big ones in the playground."

"And I suppose you are the biggest one," Steve said.

"Me, Magneto, Amora, Loki-" Doom inhaled deeply, "tell me. How is my deer friend Loki?" None responded and Doom merely chuckled. "So he _is_ with you? Has he offered his assistance? Knowledge? Magic?"

Steve took a step forward while tension rose higher. "Why would you care?"

"Let's just say that I'm not surprised he isn't here," Doom informed them, "please tell me you are aware that he is playing you like puppets? Apparently not. I am concerned for all of you. Loki comes knocking on your door and you welcome him with open arms?"

Silence.

"Well," Doom continued, "I've done my duty. I warned you so if you can excuse me, I have a weapon to collect."

Tony and Steve both charged forward and quickly began fighting with Doom. The battle was fierce and Tony was glad that he could occupy his mind for a while. He was tired of thinking about Loki and his schemes. Punching Doom's metal face helped him blow of some steam. When ten other SHIELD-agents came to help them, Doom grew frustrated.

There was something more going on, however, and Tony was slowly piecing it all together.

"Come on, Doom," Tony yelled, irritating the villain even more, "it's like your heart isn't it this fight!"

"I will kill you, Stark!" Doom send a blast his way, but Tony easily avoided getting hit.

"Is that all you've got?" Tony fired a round of bullets, but they merely left dents in Doom's armor. "No mystical blasts or force-fields? No spells?"

The villain growled and paused for a moment. "Enjoy the device. I'm sure you can think of good uses for it. Perhaps you should ask Loki for advice." After those words, Doom quickly vanished from the hallway and Tony considered going after him, but Steve already had a hand on his arm.

"We're not here for Doom, Tony," he said, "let's get the device and leave."

Grudgingly, Tony agreed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Summary: When Loki doesn't want a certain device to fall into Doom's hands, he does the only thing left possible: he joins the Avengers for this one time quest.**

**AN: Here is the third chapter! I hope it will be enjoyed so please let me know what you think about it. I guess there will be another three or so chapter, but I know where this is going and I know how I want to end so all I need to do is write it :)**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 3**

Tony had his arms crossed before his chest. He was staring at the God of Mischief through the one-way-glass, but he had an inkling that Loki knew someone was watching him. Why else would he stare back at the window with a dirty, all knowing grin on his face. Tony had briefly spoken with Thor when he had gotten back from retrieving the device and the conversation hadn't eased his mind. Even Thor had a suspicion that not all was what it seemed.

Something was terrible off.

"Here you are." Bruce entered the small observation room and went to stand beside Tony. "The device had been brought to the lab. They are waiting on you to start the examination."

Tony only nodded.

"What's wrong?"

"It disturbs me that you know something is wrong, but my girlfriend has no clue for the first hour." He only heard Bruce chuckle. "It's Loki – when isn't it. He's acting unusual, _more_ unusual than usual."

Bruce frowned at his words. "I'm sure you have an explanation."

"Think about it," Tony said, "why the hell is he helping us? I can understand he doesn't want Doom to have the device, but that also means he knows what the device does."

Bruce's frown deepened. "Which he isn't telling us."

"Nope," Tony said, "and now he knows SHIELD has the device so why is he still here? He said he didn't want Doom to have so shouldn't he be pleased by now? Shouldn't he have left already?"

"He needs something else," Bruce said, nodding his head as he wrapped his thoughts together, "something only SHIELD can give him or...something only we could do for him?"

"We asked him if he wanted to join us to retrieve the device," Tony said, everything becoming clear now, "he refused and I was very grateful, but he was all too eager to join us to Adler's party yesterday."

"He _couldn't_ join us today."

Tony turned to face Bruce completely. "The security," he said, "I got strange readings from that building and I bet you a hundred bucks that energy would have prevented Loki from using magic."

"Doesn't explain why he is still here," Bruce said.

"All the more reason to examine that device," Tony said, "I'm sure once I figure out what it does exactly, I'll know what Loki's plan is here."

oOo

For hours, Tony Stark had been staring at the device they had retrieved from Count Adler. He had run every possible test, but the results were barely satisfying. All that he had learned, was that the energy-signatures from the building hadn't come from the building at all. This device was emitting some sort of pulse, but Tony couldn't figure out what for. He wasn't the kind of man that easily gave up, however, but after hours of thinking and trying to figure out what this device was meant to do, he took the only possibility left.

The doors of the lab swung open and he watched how Loki was escorted in with two guards by his side. It was obvious Loki wanted to be here. If he didn't, he would just knock the two guards out and magic himself away. It made Tony believe that Loki was as curious about this device as he was.

There lay a caution in Loki's green eyes, however, and Tony didn't bother to understand why.

"Ah, Loki," Tony smiled politely, "welcome to my lair."

Loki didn't react. His eyes instantly fell onto the device, but he didn't move to stand closer. "This is it?" Carefully, he examined it from a safe distance. "It's awfully...small."

"But it weighs a ton," Tony said, "and the crafting on the surface is very peculiar. We had a linguistics-team take a look at it, but they have no idea what the symbols mean."

"What a surprise," Loki mocked, "they're runes, symbols of magic."

"So you know what they mean."

"Perhaps."

"I don't want to play games, Loki," Tony said with irritation in his voice, "just tell me what you know. It would make both our lives easier."

There was short moment of doubt, but Loki eventually stepped forward. The device began to glow suddenly and everyone was on high alert. Tony jumped up from his chair and closely examined the device while Loki stepped back again, the two guards trailing his every move.

"What did you do?" Tony demanded to know. He watched with disappointment as the glowing light faded. "It's off again. Loki, what did you do to turn it on?"

"I didn't do anything," Loki hissed. It was clear that he didn't enjoy the situation and Tony didn't understand. He thought Loki would be glad to see the device working. When he turned around and saw the God of Mischief closer to the exit again, he made the final connection.

"It reacted to you." He stepped around the device and moved closer to Loki. "When you stepped closer, the device worked. Why is that?"

Loki shrugged.

Tony knew that threatening him wouldn't lead to any progress so he decided to use a different approach, one Thor should try and use more often. "Don't you want to know? Don't you want to know _exactly_ how this device works? It could help all of us if we understood this."

"I know perfectly well how it works."

A sigh escaped Tony's lips. "Then explain it to me."

Loki stared into Tony's brown eyes for the longest second as if he were weighing his options. "It's working at this very moment and the beauty of the device is that none know this. It appears to be turned off, but trust me, Anthony Stark, when I tell you that right now, it's the most dangerous weapon in your possession. Explaining how it works, would be dangerous."

"If you don't want to cooperate, then why are you still here?" Tony asked angrily while he walked back to the device and carefully examined the runes for the umpteenth time. For some silly reason, he believed he might understand them now that he knew what they were. It was hopeless.

"To make sure it is not in Doom's hands," Loki explained and for the first time, Tony knew he was telling the truth, "believe me when I say that it is a dangerous weapon. Not to you, not to mankind, but to _me_." He stepped forward again and a soft light began to glow for a second time. "You have no idea, do you?"

Having a conversation with Loki could be frustrating, Tony realized, and he wished he could turn a switch that would make Loki tell the complete truth. Then again, he couldn't expect the truth from the God of Lies, could he?

"I have no idea about what?"

"About why I'm still here."

Tony frowned and Loki chuckled humorlessly.

"I don't want to be here anymore," Loki said, "I just wanted the weapon close so that I could destroy it, but I had no idea of how powerful it is."

"Stop with the riddles, Loki!"

"Right now, the device is canceling out my magic, Tony Stark."

"What?"

"I have no magic. For all it matters, I am human right now."

Loki went to stand beside Tony, but didn't unlock his gaze from the device. Tony wasn't sure if he could trust Loki's words and he certainly wasn't comfortable with him standing to close. Having no magic didn't mean he couldn't stab a man to death.

"That's why Doom wanted it so badly. It has an effect on him, but only a small one. It doesn't prevent him from using his weapons. This is a device that could mean my demise because not only does it block my magic, it will also absorb and store it.

"And allow someone else to use it," Tony said, "that's disturbing."

Loki remained silent.

"Is it designed for you specifically?"

"Oh no," Loki managed a faint smile, "it will work on anyone with magic, but I am one of the most powerful sorcerers on this earth and Doom had very specific plans which he should learn not to share with just anyone."

"But he was telling the truth," Tony said, "you are playing us like puppets." He couldn't imagine Loki just walking away from this weapon, not after telling him exactly how it worked. A sudden dreadful feeling invaded Tony's chest and he couldn't help but glance at the two security men.

He was screwed.

"I have no idea what will happen exactly," Loki said softly, "but I do apologize for any inconvenient mess."

Tony swallowed heavily and wished he had his suit nearby. In stead, he watched Loki reach for the device, but not take it. He pushed it over the edge of the table and it scattered into a thousand pieces when it crashed to the ground. An explosion followed, knocking Tony back. The last thing he processed before slipping into unconsciousness, was the immense heat of the fire that was slowly spreading across his lab.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Summary: When Loki doesn't want a certain device to fall into Doom's hands, he does the only thing left possible: he joins the Avengers for this one time quest.**

**AN: Chapter four has arrived. Sorry for the long wait. It has been a busy week... I'm so glad you're all liking this story and I hope I won't disappoint. **

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 4**

After three times, Thor managed to knock down the heavy doors that had sealed Tony and Loki inside the burning laboratory. The two security guards had managed to get out in time with only minor injuries to their arms and legs, but Thor feared the worst for his brother and friend. He entered the lab without thinking and instantly felt the heat playing on his skin.

Smoke clouded his vision and made it difficult for him to breath, but he refused to turn back without saving Loki and Tony first. Behind him, Steve entered, his colored shield firmly in his hands. He used it protect himself from the flames, but Thor knew that they were unlikely getting out of here without injuries themselves. To their right, a small explosion sounded and Thor quickly stepped away from the new flames.

"Tony!" Steve called out. There was a muffled response and none hesitated to hurry towards the sound. "Tony," Steve repeated, "where are you?"

"Over here," Tony replied, his voice stronger now.

Thor and Steve found Tony underneath a table, his arms red and raw, but he seemed all right. "Come on," Thor said, helping Tony to stand on his feet, "we will get you out of here."

"Loki," Tony said before breaking into a wild cough. The smoke had entered his lungs and made it extremely difficult for him to breathe properly. There were already black spots around Tony's lips. "He was right there."

Thor followed Tony's arm as he pointed towards the other side of the table, but there was no one there. "I'll find him," Thor said with confidence in his voice. He was still the God of Thunder and he was stronger than mortals. He could bear the heat longer than them en he was determined to find Loki. "Steve, get Tony out of here. I'll follow shortly."

"Are you sure?" Steve had already placed an arm around Tony's waist to support him. Thor only nodded and watched how the Captain helped Tony. Knowing that they were safe would help Thor focus on Loki.

"Loki?" Thor called out. "Brother?"

He waited shortly for an answer, but it remained silent. Though silent wasn't the right word. The flames were still consuming everything in their paths and even Thor began to experience difficulties breathing. A short distance away, he heard firemen arriving and the sound of water and foam. Thor had no idea how long it would take for the fire to be extinguished, but he knew Loki couldn't survive much longer.

"Loki?"

There was a soft cry to his left and Thor instantly approached it. When he finally set eyes on his brother, he felt his breath halting in his throat. Loki was sitting up against a wall, his legs bent and his arms hanging lifeless beside his body. His face was pale, almost ghostly white and his green shirt was drenched with dark, red blood.

A pipe pierced his chest.

"By the Gods," Thor exhaled. He quickly kneeled before his brother, but he had no idea what he could do to help him.

"There is a fire, Thor," Loki breathed, his voice oddly soft, "yet, I'm cold."

"You're going to be fine, brother," Thor assured him. He grabbed Loki's icily hand and squeezed it. The flames were closing in on them and Thor knew he had to act quickly if he wanted to avoid getting burned. "Help! Help, we're over here!"

Footsteps closed in and Thor glanced to his side to see Steve hurrying his way. "Thor!" Steve called before speaking into a transmitter that was strapped around his wrist. More footsteps sounded, but Thor paid them no more attention. He only had eyes for his brother.

Carefully, he placed a hand on the pipe and motioned to pull it out when Steve got a hold on his wrist. "I wouldn't do that," Steve said, "you don't know if an artery has been hit. He could bleed to death in a matter of seconds if you pull that out."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Thor asked desperately.

Steve looked over his shoulder and then back to Thor. "Help is on the way, we just have to be patient."

Thor growled with frustration. "Loki, can't you heal yourself?"

A sad smile filled Loki's pale face, his lips a terrible shade of blue. "The device...drained my energy before I could destroy it."

"Why didn't you say anything," Thor scolded him, "I could have helped you!"

"Really?" There only lay disbelief in Loki's voice.

"You are my brother and I never wanted this to happen," Thor said, "why don't you believe me when I say that I only ever want to help you? Loki, I don't want you to die."

A lifeless chuckle came from deep within Loki's throat. "Me neither." He began to cough violently and drops of warm blood trickled down his chin.

"That's not good," Steve sighed, "I think his lung might have collapsed."

Finally, two medics arrived and only now did Thor notice that the fire around them was slowly dying. There might just be hope yet, but Thor forced himself not to think about that. Everything could still go wrong, especially with Loki not having magic at the moment. A long moment passed while the medics began to stick needles in Loki's arms and placed a oxygen-mask over his mouth, but Thor refused to leave his brother's side.

Only when two strong arms pulled him away, he realized that both Steve and Bruce were trying to guide him away from his injured brother.

"Come on, Thor," Steve said softly, "give them room to help him."

Thor only complied.

oOo

Thor remained pacing up and down the hallway. He knew he was annoying his fellow Avengers, but he didn't care. There lay too many worries on his mind and each and every one of them involved Loki. Normally, he wouldn't be so worked up on his brother being injured, but the truth was that Thor had no idea what would happen to Loki without his magic.

For all he knew, his brother could already be dead. Angrily, Thor clenched his hands into fists until it began to hurt. The others noticed – they all had a careful eye on the God of Thunder – but none intervened. All was quiet except for Thor's heavy footfalls.

"I'm sure he's fine." Tony finally broke the heavy silence. Both his arms were wrapped in gauze and he had taken some heavy painkillers, but other than that, Tony Stark was completely fine. Thor was relieved his friend had no lasting injuries, but he wished he would shut up right now. "I mean..." Tony continued, missing Thor's glare, "he's _Loki_. You don't get to kill him with a pipe. If he goes out, it will be with blazing guns and fire."

"Well, there was fire." Clint's comment did nothing to ease Thor's concern. In fact, now everyone was glaring at the archer who merely shrugged. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

"Just shut the hell up," Natasha said.

Finally, the surgeon appeared through the double doors. He was wearing clean scrubs, but the dark circles underneath his eyes revealed the difficult time that had just passed. "Loki is resting comfortably. The pipe did hit an artery, but we managed to stop the bleeding and stitch him up as good as we could. I suppose it's only a matter of time before his magic returns and heals his injuries."

"But he'll live?" Thor needed the surgeon to confirm this.

A pleased smile played around the corner's of the man's lips. "He'll live. If you want, you can go to him, but he's sleeping and I suggest you don't disturb him. He'll need all the rest he can get."

Thor only nodded before pushing past the surgeon and through the double doors. The smell of medical disinfectant instantly hit him, but he ignored it. He found his brother in one of the small hospital rooms. The ghostly paleness had faded from Loki's skin, but he still looked awfully still. For a moment, Thor expected him to jump up and disappear, but Loki remained silent.

"I'm not used to seeing him like this."

Thor closed his eyes when he realized Tony had followed him. "Shouldn't you be in your quarters or something? To rest?"

"Nah," Tony grinned, "I'm fine."

"Why are you here?"

Tony shrugged. "I wanted to see for myself, I guess. You know, Loki apologized just before he shoved the device from the table. I don't think he knew there would be an explosion, but he knew _something_ would happen."

"So you're here to punish him?"

"No!" Tony actually looked offended by that thought. "I'm not an evil, revenge-seeking person. I get why he did it. That device could have meant his downfall and that frightened him. I would have done the same... I think."

"How are your arms?" Thor turned to look at Tony for the first time since the incident and he hadn't realized how tired the man looked. He actually felt guilty for treating him so poorly.

"Sore," Tony said bluntly, "but nothing I can't handle. I'll leave you to it, then."

"Thank you."

Thor watched how Tony left the room and it suddenly grew frighteningly quiet. Slowly, he moved closer to his brother and wished for him to open his eyes. Thor couldn't predict what would happen next, but he feared he might not like it. Loki had been driven into a corner and he had been hurt. He was like an animal cornered and he would strike as soon as he could.

He would have to be ready.

oOo

The peace lasted two days. Thor wasn't sure what had happened, but suddenly, the Avengers found themselves engulfed in a war with Doom. Apparently, the villain did not like the idea that they had stolen the weapon from Adler who was still held prisoner in one of the SHIELD-facilities. He demanded for Adler to be released and the weapon to be returned.

When Doom had learned that the weapon had been destroyed, he had broken into a rage and begun attacking all known SHIELD-facilities and agents. The Avengers were battling him, making sure that the number of casualties remained within boundaries. Civilians were dying, however, and the Avengers grew desperate.

Thor did not know what to do with himself. When he wasn't out fighting more Doombots, he was sitting at Loki's bedside and barely found time to sleep or eat. He was growing tired and they were losing battles. None had ever seen Doom so angry.

So when on the fifth day Loki finally awoke, Thor didn't know what he should feel. Grateful that his brother was finally awake again, that he looked good and healthy? Or frightened of what Loki would do now? Thor merely knew one thing: Loki's powers were back and he did not look amused.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Summary: When Loki doesn't want a certain device to fall into Doom's hands, he does the only thing left possible: he joins the Avengers for this one time quest.**

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews! Hopefully, this chapter will be enjoyed :)**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 5**

Pain wasn't the first thing Loki experienced, nor was it the annoying sound of humming near him. What he did hear first, was the uneven breathing of his brother nearby. Thor had the worst habit of breathing unnaturally loud. Loki was about to reprimand him for it – make a snarky comment, when the pain began to cloud his mind.

It started with his arms which felt like a dragon was licking them. Then there was a throbbing near his shoulder and Loki suddenly remembered what had happened. He remembered pushing the weapon onto the floor, he remembered the explosion and fire and he remember Thor. Why did his brother always have to complicate things? Had the roles been reversed, Loki would have left Thor to die

There was a sting near his heart and he knew what that meant. He was the God of Lies, but he could not lie to himself. The idea of his brother burning to death send shivers down his back and apparently, that was enough to alert Thor.

"Loki?" His voice was soft and caring and Loki despised it. No matter what, he wouldn't show Thor this kind of affection. They were still enemies at the end of the day. "Loki, are you awake?"

"Unfortunately." Only when he opened his eyes did he feel a pang of worry. He had seen his brother in every state possible, but this was still surprising. Thor's hair was disheveled, his eyes dull and his skin unhealthy pale. Obviously Thor hadn't been sleeping well lately – or not at all! "You look terrible."

"Speak for yourself," Thor replied with amusement in his voice.

It took Loki a while to realize that he had been seriously injured, but his magic was back. It was a reassuring sensation, one Loki welcomed wholeheartedly. With one quick spell, he healed most of his wounds and the skin of his arms turned pink. When he pushed aside his shirt, however, he still saw a rough looking scar. It was not a pretty sight and Loki winced. He would need for focus if he wanted to take care of the scar, but that was not going to happen today.

"Are you all right?" Thor asked when Loki readjusted his shirt.

"I am fine," Loki answered, "ready to go home, actually."

"Good to hear. I feel I should inform you, however," Thor paused momentarily, "Doom is attacking."

Loki arched an eyebrow. "And?"

"He is…persistent." Thor leaned back into his chair and sighed. "He is very angry that his device has been destroyed. For days now, he is attacking any known SHIELD-facility and causing chaos amongst civilians."

"Since when can't SHIELD handle Doom?" Loki asked. Doom was a worthy adversary, one with remarkable powers and enough resourced to build himself anything he desires, but Doom wasn't a God and Thor should have no trouble handling him with Mjolnir.

"Like I said, he is persistent and clever."

That was true, Loki thought. Doom was clever enough to realize only Adler can build him a second device and only Adler has the secrets to making it work. "Where is Adler?" he asked.

"In custody," Thor answered, "he and Fury have been spending hours talking, but I'm not sure if they have come to some sort of agreement."

Loki's mind was racing. Being in custody only kept Adler out of Doom's hands for so long and Loki knew he had to do something about that. The last thing he wanted, was Adler falling into Doom's hands.

"I see," Loki said, his thoughts still on Adler, "but Adler - or Fury for that matter - is not my problem."

"I know," Thor said, "if anything, the Count and Doom are your allies. Will you choose their side in this matter?"

Loki thought about it. "I think I'm going to remain neutral in this one. As long as you have your hands full with Doom and he is focused on attacking SHIELD, then I have free reign. It truly is a win-win situation for me." He stepped out of the bed and cast another quick spell. In an instant, he was wearing his battle outfit and Loki felt better already.

"I should have known," Thor said angrily, "that you would take the coward way out."

"It's not cowardly," Loki countered, "it's just clever." Before he vanished from the hospital room, Loki wanted to know one more thing. "Tell me," he said, turning to look at his brother, "is Stark all right?"

"He has a few burns," Thor explained, "a minor concussion, nothing some rest can't heal. He is Stark, however, and the word 'rest' does not exist in his dictionary. He is out fighting Doom right now."

"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate you sitting by my bedside all this time, it's very girly and fits your hair, but why aren't you fighting him?"

"I have been fighting him," Thor said, "for hours and hours. Fury ordered my return so that I could rest for a while."

"But in stead you're here," Loki said softly, more to himself than to Thor. "Doom is strong, Thor, but he has weaknesses. He relies much on his doombots, but in the end, they are but mere electronics. You can't kill them with bullets or your hammer, but have you tried an electronic pulse?" He looked into his brother's eyes one more time and then vanished. He could have sworn Thor was smiling, but Loki ignored it. He had other things on his mind.

Like a certain Count Adler.

oOo

It had been easy enough. Using a teleportation spell had cost him a great amount of magic, however, and Loki knew he wasn't strong enough to use that spell again. He would have to be careful now to make sure that no one caught him sneaking around the base. It was best if everyone thought he had teleported away from this place.

When he reached the lowest level of the facility, he found four guards stationed outside of a particularly small room, but with a simple sleeping spell, they were quickly knocked out. Loki made his way towards the room and found that this was the cell he had been looking for. Another quick spell and the heavy steel door swung open.

The cell was small and only held a bed and a toilet, but Loki didn't care. Adler was used to more, however, and the rage was visible on his face. It made Loki chuckle in delight and seeing the two healing cuts right underneath Adler's right eye only lightened his mood. He used to like the man, but since the party, Loki despised him. He had no taste at all.

"Loki?" Adler asked, stunned.

"Count Adler," Loki greeted him, "how do you like your new accommodations?"

"Horrible," Adler spit, "I have been here for days and I'm sick of it." Adler stood up from his bed and smiled. "All is better now that you're here, though. You haven't come to rescue me, have you?"

Loki arched an eyebrow. "Rescue you? What gave you that idea?"

"You're here," Adler said, obviously confused, "why would you come after I have been captured by Stark and this woman that tried to hit on me at a party. Then there was another crazy bitch, but I was taken here before anything could happen."

"Did you tell them anything?" Loki asked. Not that the answer mattered much, but he was interested on what SHIELD would want to know from this man. Adler was a low life, but he did have secrets no one else had.

"Of course not," Adler sounded offended, "just..."

"Yes?"

"I made a deal. They wanted a device that I had created for Doom," Adler explained, "I gave them its location in return for a favor and last I heard, it has been destroyed. I can't imagine Doom is pleased with that."

"What kind of favor?"

"It's not important," Adler waved off the question, "tell me more about Doom. He can't be happy about this entire situation."

"He isn't," Loki stated, "the Avengers are battling him right now. None of that matters, Adler, I wish to know more of this device. Why did Doom want it?"

Adler bit down on his lip and it suddenly made him look like a small boy caught with his hand in the cookie-jar. Loki could see how uncomfortable Adler felt and it was a joy to see. "He offered me a lot of money, Loki," Adler began to ramble, "I had to design it, make it work and deliver it. I needed months to achieve the impossible, but I did it. Doom was going to collect it himself and I would get my money. It's a tough world, Loki, even for me."

"I see," Loki sighed, "so you created something that you knew would be used against me."

"I'm sorry." There was sudden fear in Adler's grey eyes.

"As I said before, Doom is attacking," Loki continued, studying his nails for a moment, "he's causing quiet some damage and civilians are dying. He's stubborn, you know, and when Doom wants something, he'll get it. SHIELD thinks he's angry because they retrieved the device you designed for him. Truth is; Doom is angry, but he still has hope."

"Hope?"

"You're here," Loki explained, "you have all the designs in your pretty little head. All he has to do, is get you out of this cell."

"I'm not planning on creating another device," Adler quickly said, "I've learned my lesson and besides, SHIELD has promised me immunity as long as I cooperate with them. I won't create another device!"

"I want to believe you," Loki sighed, "but I can't. I used to think you were an honorable man, Adler, but then I saw your true face. You're just a man, a mortal. Weak and pathetic. If I'd had my way with you a few days ago, I wouldn't be in this mess today."

"I don't underst-" Adler's eyes widened. "It was you! I knew I recognized your eyes, but I never made the connection. You are the crazy woman."

"You didn't even ask my name that night," Loki said, his eyes shining with amusement, "but that's okay. _All_ is going to be okay, Adler." He twisted his fingers, magic flowing through his veins until a dagger appeared in each hand. Loki only watched how Adler staggered back. "It will be quick and painless."

"Please don't do this," Adler begged. "Doom can't get to me here. I am safely locked away."

"Doom always gets his way, it's one of the reasons I actually like him." Loki stepped forward and because this was a small cell, he already stood inches away from Adler after one step. With one smooth movement, he planted his daggers deep into Adler's stomach and felt how the blood flooded across his hands and arms.

Adler gasped for air, pain written all over his features.

"Did I say it would be painless?" Loki asked, looking directly into Adler's shocked eyes. "I lied. That's me, always lying. No one crosses me, Adler, _no one_." When he pulled his daggers from Adler's stomach, he watched the man fall dead at his feet and Loki sighed. This would not be received well, but that didn't matter any more.

Loki had no more business with the Avengers, though it pained him slightly to leave them behind. It had been a fun couple of days. Right up to the point where he had nearly died because of the explosion.

He hid the daggers again and stepped outside of the cell when he heard the footsteps. They were all too familiar. Loki prepared himself to use a teleportation-spell, but his magic wasn't strong enough yet.

Thor rounded the corner. "Loki?" his voice sounded horrified when he saw the blood on Loki's hands and arms. "What have you done?"

"Only what I had to do."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Summary: When Loki doesn't want a certain device to fall into Doom's hands, he does the only thing left possible: he joins the Avengers for this one time quest.**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 6**

The scientists were all focused on their computer screens, but Tony couldn't even make himself look at the formulas. He found himself staring at the other men in the lab, wondering what on earth they were currently thinking. It wouldn't surprise him of they weren't thinking at all. All that mattered to these kind of men, was completing their task and satisfying Fury.

Tony wasn't sure what he was thinking. The idea of this 'invention' should thrill him, but their was this little voice in the back of his head that warned him; everything was about to go to hell. His burned arms throbbed with pain as if warning him as well.

"Everything all right?"

Tony nearly fell from his chair when he heard Natasha's voice so nearby. He spun around and looked into her wide, blue eyes. Her red hair was slightly curled and her suit embraced her body perfectly. Natasha was a beautiful woman, but there was a hard edge to her and Tony knew she wasn't to be messed with.

"I'm fine," he said, quickly looking back at his computer screen. He should at least try to look busy to the other scientists who were glancing at him with an accusing eye. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh please, Tony," Natasha rolled her eyes, "I know we haven't been working together for so long, but I do know you better than you think. You're distracted and easily startled. Now spit it out."

"It's just..." Tony inhaled deeply and forced himself to forget about the dozen other scientists, "we struck a deal with Loki and now..."

"And now we're stabbing him in the back?" Natasha asked, only sincerity in her eyes.

"Exactly," Tony said, "on any other day, I would be fine with all this, but you've seen Loki. He was prepared to go to great lengths with Adler and now Fury made that deal with him and I fear Loki won't react kindly when he figures it all out."

"Not to mention Thor," Natasha sighed.

Tony gazed into her eyes for a very long time. He was glad she understood him. "This doesn't feel right. Keeping things from Loki is one thing, but lying to Thor about this? Natasha, do you honestly still feel like a team?"

Natasha shrugged. "Have we ever _been_ a team?"

"Of course we have," Tony countered, "because in the end, we had each other's backs, but now there is all this lying and cheating – and I am still talking about Thor here because Loki is not part of our team – and I know this will end badly. Very badly."

"What do you expect us to do?" Natasha asked. "Fury gave the order."

"That's very easy."

Natasha's gaze darkened. "Well, I'm sorry, Tony, but Fury is our boss and I trust him. He makes the tough decisions and _he_ is part of our team, too, so shouldn't we have his back?" She didn't wait for Tony's reply, but instantly stalked away.

Tony still felt torn about it all.

oOo

Thor rounded the corner. "Loki?" his voice sounded horrified when he saw the blood on Loki's hands and arms. "What have you done?"

Loki took a moment to think about Thor's question. What _had_ he done? "Only what I had to do."

Slowly, very calculated, Thor moved his eyes away from Loki's bloody hands towards the still opened cell door. Confusion and shock hit him all at once and Loki could only watch him carefully. "That's Adler's cell," Thor said softly, "what have you done?"

"Don't be naive," Loki said the words harsher than he meant to, "Adler was threat."

"He was locked in a cell!" Thor took a wild step forward, but Loki instantly took a step back. He was still waiting for his magic to reach their full potential. The moment that happened, he would be able to teleport away from this place. "Adler was safe in there, he wouldn't have been able to hurt anyone."

"He would have hurt me!" The words had come out all wrong and Loki watched how a frown formed on his brother's brow. "Doom isn't just attacking, Thor," he explained, "he is trying to break in. He wants Adler to build him another device and I couldn't let that happen."

"So you just killed him." For the first time, Thor sounded disgusted and Loki wasn't sure what he should do with that. He had done much lately, but everything, Thor had been there to talk to him, to ask him to think about his actions, to consider returning him with him to Asgard. Today, he only looked at him with pain in his eyes and Loki wasn't sure why. Adler wasn't the first man he had killed. "Adler was defenseless, a mortal with a family and you just killed him."

The words made no sense. "A family?"

"Two children," Thor said, never breaking eye contact, "a boy and a girl, not even ten years old and you have made them orphans."

Loki knew Adler had been a man of many secrets, but this he had not expected. He should not care about this. He was Loki, the God of Lies and Mischief. These were children, however, and Loki had a sore spot for them. Suddenly, he remembered Adler talking about a favor he had asked of SHIELD and he knew it had been about those children. Perhaps Adler hadn't been such a bad man after all.

"I didn't know."

"It's no excuse," Thor said, "actions speak louder than words. You came here and we aided you. We saved you from blazing fire and you repay us by murdering a man we had promised to protect. He begged us to keep him here, to retrieve his children and keep them save. I fear there is no more hope for you, brother. You're not the God of Lies and Mischief, you truly have become the God of Evil."

Loki's eyes widened. For a long time now, people had been giving him that new title, but Thor had always been reluctant to use it. Hearing him speak those words, however, made Loki experience a painful pull in his chest.

When the building suddenly shook on its foundations, Thor stepped back, tightening his grip on Mjonlir. For a moment, Loki expected him to attack, but Thor merely distanced himself from his brother. "I give up, Loki," he said icily, "I can not do this any more."

With those words, Thor disappeared from the hallway and Loki only stared at the space his brother had stood only seconds ago. The building was still trembling, Doom breaking in at this very moment, but Loki was unable to move. He should feel rage for Thor's words, but in stead he felt numb. He and Thor had been going against each other for years, but in the end, they were still brothers. That bound seemed to be severed now.

The building shook violently again and pulled Loki out of his thoughts. He gazed at the blood on his hands and cast a quick spell to clean himself. His magic was strong again, and without thinking any more, he used a teleportation spell. He wanted to get as far away as possible, but in stead, he found himself standing just outside.

He had a clear view of the battle going on, of Doom fighting Stark and the Captain with Thor rapidly approaching. Loki felt himself torn. A part of him wanted to aid the Avengers because Doom had crossed him, but another part wanted to fight them for all the misery they had given him. A long moment passed where Loki stood completely still and finally he made a decision.

He stormed forward, the magic roaring wildly inside of him. There would be hell to pay.

**AN: Sorry for the cliffie! I'll update as soon as possible :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: To make up for the shorter chapter last time, I wrote a longer one this time. The story takes another turn and I hope that's okay. It feels like a roller-coaster, but I am just writing what comes to me. Honestly, I'm not responsible for any of this. Enjoy reading :)**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 7**

Clint had his hands behind his back. His fingers were itching to grab his bow and arrow, but in stead, he kept his gaze on Colonel Fury. As soon as this little meeting was over, he would be free to join the others in their fight against Doom. Next to him stood Natasha and Clint could see the tense line of her neck. They all knew how dangerous they were playing this game. The decision Fury had taken was a difficult one, but Clint understood why he had taken it.

Natasha thought the same. "Don't worry, Sir," she said, "we can handle Doom."

"I don't doubt that," Fury said, "I just want you all to defend this fort at all costs. You know why it is so valuable. I won't be gone for long. In the mean time, get rid of the Doom character."

Natasha grinned softly. She wasn't the kind of woman that showed her emotions. She was a fighter, a warrior, just like Clint was. That's why Fury had paired them up and they had proven to be a worthy team so far. Of course they weren't as strong as the other Avengers, but Clint couldn't care less. When he was on high ground and had his bow and arrow, he had the advantage. The same thing went for Natasha: put a gun in her hand and she'll show you some amazing skills.

"Clint!"

Fury's heavy voice called him from his mind. "Yes, Sir?"

"Do you understand?"

Clint nodded once. "I understand, Sir, this is top secret."

"If Thor were to find out," Fury said, "he'll wreck this place with his bare hands. I don't want to see that happen. So keep your mouth shut." He shifted his gaze towards Natasha and back to Clint. "I'll be back in a few hours."

Clint watched Fury depart from the room. He only had to look at Natasha once to know what she was thinking. They both hurried outside and towards the dressing room. Putting on their fighting outfit and gearing up, they both smiled weakly. They were ready for battle and they knew this might be the last one.

It could always be the last one.

When they arrived outside, they found themselves thrown in the middle of a war. Clint was unsure what or when this had happened, but he found himself fighting not only Doom, but Loki as well.

-o-o-

The faces in front of him all blurred into one. Loki didn't know who he was fighting anymore. He saw colors of red and blue and grey, but he attacked anything that moved. The magic inside of him roared deadly and Loki lashed out like a tiger driven into a corner. In the end, that's how he felt. He found himself threatened and he knew he had to fight to survive. Thor didn't seem to understand that anymore.

An energy blast was sent his way and Loki easily darted aside. It appeared Tony Stark was closest to him and was now fighting him with all his power. Loki took a quick second to look around. Doom seemed thrown off balance by Loki's sudden appearance and he was losing his battle with Thor and the Captain. It was only a matter of moments before Doom would take off with his head down and his tail between his legs. He was pathetic and Loki was growing to despise him.

Tony shot another energy beam his way and Loki growled with annoyance. It was useless to throw daggers his way since they would cause little damage to the iron suit so Loki let his magic build and deflected the energy. He sent it right back and Tony had to jump aside.

"Come on," Loki mocked, "is that the best you can do?"

He heard Tony growl something, but he was unable to hear the words. In stead, Loki turned around and threw two daggers in the Captain's direction. One of them bounced off of the bright shield, but the other cut across the blue fabric and flesh. Loki heard a howl of pain, but he didn't have time to rejoice. He had other worries, like a certain God of Thunder.

"Brother!" Thor yelled. He raised his hammer high and summoned thunder from a bright blue sky. "Stop this madness."

It was an all too familiar phrase that sent Loki reeling. He conjured two extra daggers and threw them. Thor avoided the sharp blades and tightened his grip on Mjolnir. In the corner of his eyes, Loki saw two other figures approaching, but he easily recognized them as the mortals. They were good fighters, true warriors, but they were no match for him – or Thor for that matter. They were Gods after all.

"Loki!" Thor shouted. He approached his brother carefully, but he made no movements to fight.

"What's wrong, Thor," Loki hissed, "why don't you fight me properly? I am the God of Evil after all."

"I never meant those words," Thor said.

"Of course you did," Loki countered. He produced a great ball of fire and threw it at Thor who had to roll over the ground to avoid getting burned. "You have given up, remember, you have no hope so why should I? I am finally free."

Thor only shook his head and exchanged quick glances with his fellow Avengers. Loki took the opportunity to create a massive energy field that would destroy not only Thor, but the rest of the Avengers as well. He laughed when he released his grip on the energy and saw how it sped away from him. However, he felt horror when Thor swung his hammer and apparently knocked the energy right back.

It all happened so quickly that Loki had no time to protect himself. The energy knocked him downed and then threw him against the wall of the building. He did not even have time to realize that he was slipping into unconsciousness.

oOo

Tony watched with astonishment as Loki dropped down with his eyes shut. There was no time to catch his breathe, however. Doom had taken off not much after Loki's appearance. Then again, Tony couldn't blame the guy. Loki had looked down right frightening, with wild eyes that held a feral gaze.

Carefully, Tony walked towards Loki. Thor had instantly rushed to his brother and was now kneeling beside him.

"He'll be all right," Thor said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Not that Tony cared much. Loki was their enemy and he had just tried to kill them all. This was Thor, however, and no matter what he said or what happened, Loki was his brother and Thor would not abandon him. It was no secret that it would lead to trouble one day. Tony found himself wordless when Clint and Natasha dropped to their knees as well and tied Loki's hands after injecting him with some serum.

"What are you doing?" Thor demanded to know.

"I'm sorry," Natasha only said. She placed a hand on Thor's shoulder. "You have to trust us, Thor, please."

Thor frowned deeply and switched his gaze between his brother and the rest of his team. "What's happening?" he asked. He half raised his hammer when agents of SHIELD came and picked up Loki. They carried him back inside the building and Tony was thrown off balance by how quickly everything was happening. Fury had told him of his plans and Tony had agreed, but never had he thought that _today_ would be _that_ day.

"What's going on?" Thor roared.

"Orders," Clint explained, carefully storing the needle away, "Thor, you have to understand that even though he's your brother, he's also your enemy. _Our_ enemy. He's under arrest."

Thor set his jaw in a hard line and said nothing.

"He'll be fine," Tony heard himself say, "Thor, your brother will be fine."

Tony followed the others inside and quickly made his way to Loki's new cell. It was small, but it had everything he needed. A bed, a toilet and a handbasin. When Tony entered, he was handed a small metal bracelet. Even though he had helped design this thing, it still felt strangely heavy in the palm of his hand. Tony gazed at it for a long second and the slid it across Loki's hand.

When it came to rest on Loki's wrist, it somehow tightened its grip until Tony was unable to remove it. Confident that Loki wouldn't be able to get it off, Tony stood and sighed. He had worked with Adler on this bracelet, but it was still a guessing game if it would actually work. It would be a matter of time, really, but Tony wasn't prepared to wait in this cell to find out. Either they would really piss Loki off or they would have finally contained him.

Stepping out of the cell, Tony heard the heavy metal door fall shut. He inhaled deeply until his gaze fell on Thor. The God of Thunder had dark eyes and his lips were a straight line. It was clear he didn't trust this situation and Tony couldn't blame him. He only hoped Fury knew what he was doing.

"Stark, I demand that you explain this to me," Thor said when he came to stand before Tony.

"Adler and I worked together," Tony said, "to create something that would cancel out Loki's magic."

"What?" Thor sounded horrified. "This is exactly why Loki came to us, to prevent this!"

"I'm sorry," Tony said, "but we couldn't let this chance get away from us. He can't hurt anyone now. Maybe he's even safe from himself."

"Don't just say things you think will please me. Loki was right."

"About?"

"Adler," Thor nearly hissed the name and Tony suddenly saw a stunning resemblance between the two brothers that didn't even share blood. "He's dead, Loki killed him."

Tony opened his mouth to say something, but he was unable to find any words. Only hours ago, he had been working with this man. Hell, he had even grown to like him when Tony had realized that he was a family man, that he was doing all this to protect his children. "Dead?"

Thor shook his head. "I don't like this, Stark, not one bit."

oOo

Loki woke with his head about to split into two. He groaned and pushed himself up into a sitting position. There was only a faint light above him, but it was strong enough to show him where he was. It did not please him at all and Loki instantly forgot about his headache. He stood and went for the door, pulling and kicking it, but it didn't move. His annoyance grew and Loki prepared himself to use his magic only to find that it was gone.

_Completely_.

Only then did his eye fall on the bracelet decorating his left wrist. It was heavy and hot and Loki didn't hesitate to pull at it. Whatever he tried to do, it didn't budge as it seemed sown to his skin. It didn't hurt, though, which was good. That didn't mean it wasn't dreadful, however, and Loki's mind raced to remember what had happened. He had been fighting Thor and the others and then he had been knocked out. They must have locked him in here, but that didn't explain the bracelet.

Slowly, it all began to make sense. Adler had indeed made a deal with Fury. One that would keep his kids safe, but of course Adler would have to give back something. It appears he helped SHIELD design this horrid thing and now Loki found himself without magic again. So in stead of Doom having the device, the Avengers had made their own version. Loki would be damned if he just let this happen.

Angrily, he shoved his arms against the door. To his surprise, the door swung open, but it revealed Fury, Coulson and a bunch of other agents. Loki narrowed his eyes and growled.

"I will murder you all for this," he hissed.

"I highly doubt that," Fury said evenly. He turned to the agents and said, "Cuff him."

Loki protested and withdrew his hands, but it was useless against six heavily armed men. If only he could get his hands on a weapon! He tried, but then felt an elbow against his jaw. Dizziness claimed him and Loki lowered his head as he tried to steady himself. He felt the cuffs shackle his hands together and he felt hands push him outside of the cell. Loki had no idea where he was going, but he knew he wouldn't like it one bit.

Eventually, he was forced to sit on some sort of iron chair. His feet and arms were tide down and a nurse – who without doubt knew how to kill a man with her syringe – took some of his blood. She never even looked him in the eye. When Loki realized this, he also realized that no one was looking him in the eye. It seemed as if they were avoiding him.

"What's going on?" he demanded to know. He looked around to find a familiar face, but he found himself only surrounded by three strangers. The first stranger – the nurse – left after she had taken a second sample of his blood. The second stranger applied patches on the skin of his chest, neck and arms and the third connected wires to those patches. Loki struggled all the way, but it didn't matter. In the end, he found himself alone in a bright, white chamber.

The door opened again and Loki's head shot towards the new presence. For a moment, he expected Thor to walk in, but he only saw Fury.

"What's the meaning of this?"

"I would say that I am sorry," Fury said, his hands folded behind his back, "but I'm not. You are our enemy and you have something that has intrigued humanity for a while now."

Loki wished he knew what the one-eyed-man was talking about. "What?"

"Magic, Loki, you have magic."

"Not anymore."

"I know," Fury said, "because of that bracelet. We're very pleased it works. Adler hadn't finished it, but Tony managed to tie up the loose ends. As it turns out, you killed Adler which is a shame because he could have been a great asset. In the end, that bracelet is a better design than the device Doom would have gotten."

Loki didn't manage to get out words.

"Your magic is suppressed, but still very present in your body. That's why we took some of your blood." Fury took a step closer. "But you are still an extraordinary creature, Loki, one worth studying."

Those words scared Loki. "What does that mean?"

"It's means we'll try our best to treat you with dignity," Fury said, "but I can't make any promises." Fury turned around and nodded at a mirror. Loki realized there could be a dozen scientists behind that mirror, all looking at him as if he were a guinea pig. He struggled in his seat again, but his body was soon overtaken by a terrifying pain. It felt like a fire was roaring inside his veins and his muscles became painfully tense. Loki didn't want to, but a scream escaped his lips.

Fury only stared at him, his one eye emotionless.

When the pain subsided, Loki gasped for air. "I will escape," he breathed, "and when I do, I will destroy this place."

"Perhaps," Fury stated, "but this room has been designed for you, Loki, and I doubt you'll get out of here soon."

"Oh I will," Loki promised, "and when I do-" But before he was able to finish his sentence, he felt the pain again. The fire grew more intense and for a moment, Loki thought he was back in that burning laboratory. He screamed again and tried to access his magic. He was unable to, but in the corner of his eye, he watched Fury observe him.

"What do you want?" Loki yelled.

"To understand you," Fury said, "your body and your magic. Just relax and it will all be over soon."

Loki wished he could believe him, but then the pain returned and a name rolled from his tongue without his approval. "THOR!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: Thanks for the reviews, guys, they made me write an extra long chapter for you :) Enjoy!**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 8**

When Loki was brought back to his cell after they had finished the electroshocks and taken some more samples of his blood, he had no more energy or strength left to struggle. He didn't even make any threats or swear that the world would burn for this. In stead, he felt grateful that he was allowed back to his little prison cell. At least he would be able to get some sleep. When the door fell shut behind him, Loki dropped down on the small bed and instantly shut his eyes.

He felt sleep overwhelm him, but each time he nearly slid into a dream, he awoke violently again. His body was still recovering from the electroshocks and it seemed that 'sleeping' wasn't on his to-do-list. Loki grunted in annoyance and turned to lay on his back. There was still a faint light glowing above him and he stared at it. It was the only light source in the cell and since there was no window, Loki had no idea whether it was day or night.

Sighing deeply, he dared to close his eyes. Different spots on his upper body were throbbing painfully and when he placed a hand over them, he found the skin raw and torn. If he had his magic, he would be able to heal it in a second, but now he was a mortal which meant he would have to heal like a mortal; over time. It despised Loki that he had been reduced to such a low entity. He tried to take off the bracelet again, but it was pointless.

He was stuck and right now, Loki had no idea how to get out of the situation. His mind wandered to his brother and Loki quickly shook that thought away. Thor had betrayed him. He had left him in the hands of Fury. Now it all made sense why he had been so upset over Adler's death. They had been working together and Thor had known Adler's importance. Loki couldn't believe he had been played like that.

After what seemed hours, Loki finally felt more at ease. His mind grew silent and dreams invaded it. He dreamt of Asgard and his old chambers in the palace. He dreamt of Thor and Frigga. It all felt so safe and warm that Loki knew he was dreaming. He didn't mind, however, and allowed himself this pleasure. Whatever he told Thor, he still missed the good old times where his tricks were just tricks, where all was well. Too soon Loki awoke to the sound of his cell door opening, but he was still too tired to move.

Four arms hoisted him up onto his feet and when Loki's eyes finally focused on the figure before him, he smirked. "I'm ready for round two."

Fury stared at him. "Good," he said, "let's not waste time then."

oOo

Tony stared at the test results. He had been staring at it for hours now, but it still made no sense. He wished he had more answers by now, but understanding magic was like understanding a woman. Tony chuckled at his own thoughts. Pepper would smack him on the head should she know half his thoughts. He contemplated on running another dialysis, but it all seemed pointless.

When Steve walked in, Tony turned around on his chair and arched an eyebrow. He wasn't used to seeing the Captain with a heavy bandage around his arm. He knew Loki had sliced him with one of his flying daggers, but Tony thought Steve healed quickly and wouldn't need any bandages to begin with. It reminded him of the burns on his own arms and Tony was suddenly reminded of the fact that he needed a painkiller or some scotch.

"Any luck?" Steve asked, letting his gaze slide over every object in the room.

"None," Tony sighed, "I know its all there, but I just can't reach it."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like..." Tony thought long for an example, "it's like looking at the night sky. You can see all the stars, but no matter what you do, you know you'll never reach those stars. You can just gaze at them from a billion miles away. The same goes for Loki's blood. You can see the magic in it, but no matter what, we can't reach it, let alone understand it."

"I thought there was progress," Steve said, frowning.

"A bit," Tony explained, "the electroshocks make the magic more visible. It works like a telescope; makes our image more clear."

"So what now?"

"According to Fury," Tony couldn't believe he was about to say this, "use a bigger telescope."

oOo

When the second session of electroshocks had ended, Tony felt in need of a shower. He had watched Loki squirm and cry and yell and Tony had been unable to look away. He needed to watch it, witness it because he was one of the reasons they were torturing the man. Loki might be an evil bastard, but that didn't mean it was justified to torture him. If anything, it proved that humans could be just as evil.

Two heavily armed security guards had unlocked Loki from the iron chair and dragged him back to his cell. The once strong God of Lies was no longer able to walk on his own. Tony could even see him twitch now and again and he knew he wouldn't be able to do this for long. Tony felt horrible about the entire situation. He followed Loki and the two guards all the way to Loki's cell. When they dropped him onto the bed, Tony felt a painful tug at his heart when he saw Loki just stare.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, knowing Loki couldn't hear him.

The two guards closed the door with a bang and Tony sighed. He hoped they would soon get answers so that this situation could be resolved and forgotten. Walking back to his private quarters, Tony tossed aside his jacket and carefully closed the door behind him. Torturing a man was tiring and Tony closed his eyes for a second. He longed for sleep.

He switched on the light in the bathroom and gazed at himself in the mirror. His arms were still wrapped in bandages and his eyes looked somehow dull and lifeless. Carefully, since his arms still hurt, he removed his shirt and filled his handbasin with cold water. It felt good on his warm skin and Tony looked back into the mirror.

His heart stopped.

Behind him stood Loki. His piercing green eyes were staring at him as if he were a prey that he was about to attack. Without thinking, Tony grabbed for a razor blade and spun around.

Nothing. There was absolutely _nothing_. No Loki or other intruder and Tony suddenly felt incredible stupid. He truly needed to direct his thoughts away from Loki since he was even beginning to see him everywhere. He put the razor blade and quickly changed into his sleeping outfit. In the morning, everything would seem better.

oOo

Thor didn't know what bothered him more. The fact that his brother was currently rotting away in some little cell or the fact that his friends had put him there. Yes, Loki was there enemy. Yes, Loki had lost his way. Yes, a lot of innocent human beings had died because him. Yes, Thor was just as responsible as Loki was. None of that changed the fact that they were brothers. Thor regretted his words and he wished he had stood by Loki until the end. In stead, he had just walked away.

Punching a training doll didn't help him though. Thor still felt angry with himself, with Loki and the rest of the world. He swung his hammer and hit the doll's head, sending it straight across the training room. It came to a halt near the mirror. Thor gasped for air when he realized he wasn't alone.

He spun around and found himself looking at his brother. Loki looked horrible, with small eyes and pale skin. He said nothing, just looked at Thor as if he was about to fall into a thousand little pieces. It was a horrible sight and Thor wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Had his brother escaped?

"Loki, you look..." He couldn't even find the right word. "Who did this to you? Fury?"

Loki remained motionless, a slight frown creasing his brow.

"Say something!" Thor turned back to his hammer and summoned it into his hand. When he turned back to look at Loki, he found him gone. He searched his surroundings, but Thor found nothing. No door opened, no alarm warning him of Loki's escape. It made no sense and Thor was starting to doubt himself.

"Loki?" Of course, there came no answer, but Thor tightened his grip on Mjolnir none the less. After a few long seconds, the door to the gym did open, but it wasn't Loki walking in. In stead, Steve Rogers entered, smiling faintly when he saw that Thor was present as well.

"Is something wrong?" Steve asked, instantly noticing his friend's worried gaze.

"I just thought... Where is my brother?"

"In his cell," Steve answered, still unsure of what was happening, "he's safe in there, if that's what you're worried about. He can't escape and hurt anyone."

Thor quickly approached him. "Are you sure?"

Steve suddenly seemed uneasy, but Thor didn't care. "Yeah, I'm sure. Thor, I watched them lock your brother in there just half an hour ago. What's this about?"

"I want to see him."

Silence.

"You know that Fury thinks it's best if Loki doesn't see you," Steve said carefully, "or that you don't see him for that matter. He would just manipulate you, Thor."

"I don't. Care." Thor hissed. "Bring me to his cell."

Again, only silence, but eventually Steve nodded. "Fine, but we can't open the door. He's sleeping anyway and we shouldn't disturb his rest. The...interrogations are weighing down heavily on him."

Steve was right. When Thor stared at the sleeping form of his brother just a few minutes later, he did seem fine. The cell wasn't big, but the bed seemed comfortable enough. Loki had pulled his blanket all to way up to his chin and his chest moved steadily up and down. He was deep asleep and Thor leaned his head against the small window of the metal door. His brother was fine.

"We should go," Steve said, "before Fury knows you're here."

Thor nodded. "All right. I trust you, Steve Rogers, that even though I can't look out for him, you will do so in my place. Don't just look at him and see your enemy. Look at him and see my brother."

Steve swallowed heavily. "I will," he said softly.

oOo

By the time Thor arrived for breakfast, most of the others had already left for training or some sort of secret mission. Steve was sitting at the head of the table, a newspaper spread out before him. Tony was leaning back in his chair, his toast left untouched and a steaming mug of coffee clenched between his hands.

"Good morning," Thor greeted them, grabbing himself some of the delicious black liquid. He couldn't believe that he was starting to prefer this drink above beer or ale. Should Volstagg hear this, he would think Thor mad. He knew Jane preferred him drinking coffee over beer, though. He longed to see her again, but Thor knew she was as busy as he was. Jane was still in New Mexico, examining all sorts of strange occurrences, together with Eric and Darcy. He missed them, too. They were his first friends on Midgard after all.

Thor went to sit on the opposite side of Tony and only then noticed how tired the man looked. "You should sleep more in stead of playing on one of your strange tablet things."

"They are called iPads, Thor," Tony muttered, "and I wasn't playing Angry Birds."

"That game then where plants defeat zombies."

"Nope," Tony said with a faint smile, "I just couldn't sleep. I think I should work less."

"_Ha_!" Steve exclaimed.

"I do work, Steve," Tony rolled his eyes. Thor watched how the two men suddenly exchanged knowing glancing, but the moment passed too soon. "Anyway, I blame it on your brother."

"What does Loki have to do with any of this?" Thor asked before taking a careful sip of his hot coffee. "He's locked in a cell. I've seen him myself. Steve was kind enough to bring me to him."

"Oh really," Tony said, shooting Steve an accusing glance, "he must have forgotten about Fury's orders then."

"I know," Thor quickly defended his friend, "I begged him. It's not like I entered the cell. Loki was sleeping too soundly to disturb him so I don't understand why you couldn't sleep because of him."

"It's silly," Tony sighed, taking a small bite from his toast, "I thought I saw him in my bathroom."

Steve was instantly on high alert. "What?"

"Ridiculous, I know," Tony waved away Steve's distress, "when I turned around, there was no one. Like I said, I worked too hard and all I need is some proper rest. It's not easy to sleep here when you know Loki is just a few levels below you."

"You should report this," Steve said, "to Fury."

"No, that's not necessary," Tony shrugged, "you saw him last night, didn't you? In his cell, sleeping. He couldn't have been in my bathroom."

A long moment passed and Steve relaxed. "I guess you're right," he said, "I should get ready for training." Steve got up and left, but Thor waited another minute before he spoke. He didn't know why Steve couldn't hear this, but he somehow felt that only Tony could help him.

"I saw him," Thor said, his voice barely a whisper.

"Hm?" Tony took another bite from his toast.

"I saw Loki as well," Thor explained, making sure that no one else entered the kitchen, "yesterday night. I was training late and I suddenly saw him, but he said nothing. I was worried and grabbed my hammer, but when I turned back, he was gone."

Tony straightened his back.

"That's why I asked Steve to bring me to him," Thor continued, "because he looked so tired and hurt. I was beginning to doubt if I had seen him at all, if I hadn't just imagined it. You've seen him as well, though."

"I thought so," Tony said, slight panic in his eyes, "but there was no one there. Thor, we couldn't have seen him. One, he is locked in a cell – you've said so yourself. And two, he has no magic."

Thor swallowed heavily before leaning forward on the table. He only wanted Tony to hear this. "What if he has? Loki is...special. You helped create a bracelet that canceled out his magic, but you've forgotten one thing."

"Which is?"

"This is _Loki_." Thor stood up and began pacing the floor. "He's in distress, he is...panicking and at those time, his magic grows in strength beyond anything anyone has ever seen. I believe that, on a subconscious level, he's trying to reach us, tell us that something is wrong."

"If this is true," Tony said, "then I get why you saw him, but why did I see him?"

Thor thought deeply about that question, but he only found one explanation. "You couldn't sleep, not because you worked too hard, but because you were worried, weren't you?"

Tony huffed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You were worried about Loki. My brother has always been very talented with astral projection, but to do it on a subconscious level, it demands a certain open-mindedness. You worrying about him made him able to hone in on you."

"That's ridiculous!" Tony stood as well, throwing his toast into the garbage bin. "I don't. Worry. About. Loki." He walked towards the door, but Thor suddenly realized something else.

"He looked sick," he said before Tony could leave him, "why does my brother look sick, Tony?"

Tony halted, but didn't turn to look at Thor.

"What's going on?" Thor demanded to know. "This feels like a conspiracy. Why doesn't Fury want me to see my brother? Why don't you want me to see him? You looked angry when you learned that Steve took me to him. _Why_?" His voice had become threatening and Thor's fingers suddenly ached for Mjolnir.

Slowly, Tony turned around, strange sadness in his eyes. "We thought this was for the best," he said softly, "you wouldn't have understood."

"Tony," Thor said, needing more information than that.

"You have to understand that even Fury has to follow orders," Tony said, "none of us wanted this, but we understood the opportunities. We're studying him, Thor, we're running every kind of experiment on him and we're trying to understand his magic."

"_What_?"

"I've been present all the time," Tony continued, knowing the trouble he would soon find himself in, "I'm not in charge of the experiments, but I do have an important part in them. Loki looks sick because he isn't reacting well."

"Reacting well?" Thor scoffed angrily. "To what? Your torture?"

Tony remained silent.

"You have no right," Thor continued, shouting now, "you have no right to do this to him!"

"We have," Tony whispered.

Thor was completely lost now.

"At the time we were fighting Doom and Loki outside of this building, Fury went to Asgard," Tony's voice was still eerily soft, "he explained the situation to your father."

"No."

"Earth has formed an alliance with Asgard, all because of you," Tony said, "and we didn't want to risk a war because of your brother so Fury went to ask Odin's approval. Had he said no, we wouldn't be in this situation right now."

"I don't believe this," Thor whispered. His head spun and his heart ached. It felt like a dagger had been tearing through his skin and chest. "By the Gods!" He spun around and clenched his hands around the edges of the table. With one smooth movement, he flipped it while everything shattered onto to the floor. Tony only watched him from a distance.

"I am giving you a choice, Stark," Thor said through gritted teeth, "either you help me or you don't."

Tony let his gaze slide across the half ruined kitchen towards Thor's furious face. "I'll help."

"Good."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: I am so sorry for the long wait, but finally, here is chapter 9. I really wanted to show Thor's emotions and I hope I succeeded. Also, writing Tony wasn't easy and I hope he isn't too OOC. Oh well...I just hope you guys will enjoy this part :)**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 9**

Thor was furious. He had experienced the emotion before, but never like this. Mostly, when he was angry, it was because of Loki. Because his brother had done something outrageously evil or cunning, but today, Thor felt his blood boil because of something that was done _to_ his brother. He had just never expected it to be done by his friends. He thought the Avengers was a noble cause, something worth joining, but now Thor was starting to doubt if they truly were the good guys here.

Loki had once told him that being evil is a matter of perspective and he knew his brother had a point. The more Thor thought about his friends, the more his perfect world shattered. Steve wasn't the noble soldier everyone believed him to be. He had flaws like every other human being. Tony wasn't the reckless Iron Man that didn't care, but he was a man with more values than most gave him credit for. And Fury...Fury had deeply disappointed Thor.

His grip on his hammer tightened and his jaws began to ache from clenching them together. He was tired of sitting around and doing nothing, but Tony had explained their plan and it made sense. Trying to help Loki during the day would lead to unwanted attention and trouble. It was best of they waited for nightfall even though that meant another torture session for Loki.

Every muscle in his body screamed at him to get up and fight his way towards his brother, but he simply couldn't. At least Tony was with him, though Thor still wasn't sure whether he could forgive him or not. He had lied to him, tortured his brother, but he was here now and he was willing to risk much to help him now. That had to count for something, but Thor knew he could never forget.

"Could you stop that?" Tony asked without looking up from his computer screen. He was busy typing away on his laptop, but he had a deep frown on his face.

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me as if you're about to rip my head off," Tony said evenly, "it's disturbing."

"Have you considered the possibility that I am actually considered to rip your head off?" Thor retorted. He hadn't realized he was glaring at him, but he wasn't planning on stopping. If it made Tony uncomfortable, then there was all the more reason to continue.

"I know you're angry," Tony said, "and I completely understand."

"I'm more than angry, Anthony Edward Stark," Thor growled, "you have tortured my brother."

"To be fair," Tony pushed his laptop aside and focused entirely on the God of Thunder, "Loki wouldn't hesitate to torture us."

"He would never torture you," Thor said without doubt, "he would instantly kill you, quick and painless because he still has honor."

"So what?" There lay anger in Tony's voice and Thor didn't like it. Tony had no right to be angry now. "Torturing your brother is bad, but if we had instantly killed him – quick and painless – you would have been fine with it?"

Thor stared directly into Tony's brown eyes. "You're missing the point," he said, "Loki would never resort to torture. It appears that Fury and his Avengers use it the first chance they get."

Tony crossed his arms before his chest. "_Fury and his Avengers_? Last time I checked, you're part of this initiative."

"Not for much longer," Thor said icily, "as soon as I get my brother out of here, I am taking him to Asgard and I am not sure I want to return to this world. I've learned much about the human nature and I don't like it."

"Don't be a hypocrite," Tony snorted, "you love human kind. Why else would you go to such lengths to protect it?" He waited for Thor to reply, but nothing came. "Oh, I get it now. You're just here for Jane?"

Thor pressed his lips together. He had to admit that at first, he had returned with only her in his mind, but now he had friends. At least, he thought he had friends.

"The thing about the human kind, Thor," Tony said, "is that we're brutal. We aren't honorable or even kind, we are selfish. Mostly, we think of our own and don't care what happens to others, though it makes for a good tabloid. Now don't go telling me that all Asgardians are saints. Hell, your father turned on his own son."

Those words cut deeper into Thor's flesh than he thought they would. Being King meant sacrifices, meant being strict, but righteous, but what had fueled Odin's decision? Thor refused to believe that he would just allow Fury to torture Loki in the name of science. "I don't know why my father allowed this to happen," Thor said softly, "but I am deeply disappointed none the less."

"I'll tell you why he allowed it," Tony said, his voice softer as well, "because deep down he knows Loki deserved this."

"That's outrageous and-"

"Is it?" Tony widened his eyes, daring Thor to think about this. "When he first tried to subjugate earth, hundreds of people died. When he continued to rage war against it, another thousand died. We've been fighting him for months and if we were to understand him just a little bit better, we would be able to defend ourselves a little bit better."

"It doesn't justify the torture," Thor replied.

"It doesn't," Tony sighed, "but can you at least try to understand our side of this story? We are _desperate_, Thor. Yes, we have Loki in custody and yes, we have managed to suppress his magic, but we all know it's just a matter of time before he breaks out and frees himself. Whether we torture him or not, he is going to want revenge and at least now, we'll be prepared."

"You have to believe me when I say that I am trying to understand all of this," Thor said, "but it's difficult. This is my brother we are talking about and I care for him. You and everyone else in this facility knows that what you are doing is wrong because why else lie about it?"

Tony nodded slowly. "True, very true."

oOo

Steve averted his eyes from the writhing Loki. He had followed Fury's logic when he had explained why torturing Loki was necessary, but now it all seemed pointless. Steve was an honorable men. When people asked him to describe himself, that was usually one of the first words he used to describe himself with. Now all he could think was how fraud he was. He believed in certain values, but when it came to Loki, he had all thrown them overboard.

Loki's scream drifted all the way to Steve observatory room where he was standing with Bruce. They didn't need to be there – watching how Loki's face paled with every passing second – but they somehow felt they needed to see this. It was because of them that the God of Mischief was strapped to a table, completely defenseless.

After another minute, Bruce punched a red button on the side of the one-way-mirror so that the sound was muted. It suddenly became very quiet except for Bruce and Steve's shallow breathing and racing heartbeats.

"This is wrong," Bruce said when the silence was bearing down on them, "I don't like Loki, but I don't like the sound of his screams either."

"Orders are orders," Steve sighed.

"Come on," Bruce protested, "I get that you're a man of the army, a soldier, but even you must object to this. I won't listen to Loki's screams anymore and I don't want to see him in pain. Something needs to be done about this."

"Like what?" Steve asked, his curiosity peeked.

"I don't know," Bruce threw both his arms into the air, "maybe we should start by talking to Thor."

"He'll kill us," Steve sighed.

"Not if we offer to help," Bruce turned to look at Steve before he punched the same red button again. Instantly, Loki's screams filled the small room again and Steve winced. "We can stop this, we _should_ stop this. We are part of the Avengers, Steve, and we are supposed to represent honesty, integrity, respect and unity. Right now, we're following none of those. We're torturing our enemy and we're lying about it to everyone."

"I know," Steve said, looking into Bruce's eyes, "so let's change that."

oOo

Even after Tony's protests, Thor had continued to glare at him. In the end, it seemed Tony had learned how to ignore him and Thor found himself bored and boredom lead to worrying. Loki was constantly on his mind. He felt awful to just sit there and do nothing while his brother was being examined and tortured.

Just as he was about to get up, the door to the room swung open. When Steve and Bruce entered, Thor wanted to yell something at them, perhaps even throw his hammer their way, but there was something in their eyes that stopped him. He suddenly didn't understand why they were here, but he could feel it was important.

"Can we talk?" Bruce asked. He carefully closed the door behind him and let his gaze slide across Thor's and Tony's face.

"Sure," Tony said, a lightness to his voice, "maybe it can lighten the mood here."

"I doubt it," Bruce said.

Thor instantly straightened his back, already knowing what this was about. "What do you have to say to me?" He asked. "I should warn you that I am not in a good mood."

"I understand," Steve said, "but we want to help."

Tony arched one eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah." Steve inhaled deeply as if to prepare himself for a storm – Thor's storm, but it only stayed quiet. "I am sorry that it took us so long, but we realize now that what we are doing, what SHIELD is doing, is wrong. We want to help Loki."

"We're going to break him out," Thor said flatly, not caring whether the others liked his plan or not. Besides, that was the only way to _could_ help Loki. Leaving him in SHIELD's custody was no longer an option. "Are you prepared to turn against every possible agent of SHIELD and turn against this world for the sake of my brother?"

"I wouldn't call it 'turning against this world'," Bruce said, folding him arms before his chest, "more like...protecting it from itself. If we do nothing, Loki will never forgive earth and the humans inhabiting it. This way, we're hoping to show him that not everyone is evil and not everyone wants to see him tortured."

"Thank you," Thor said softly. He was glad that some of his faith in humanity was being restored, but he was even more glad that his friends were helping him. Together, they were much stronger and the chances of helping Loki were much greater. "As soon as the sun sets, we're going to his cell and we're going to walk him out of here."

"I like that plan," Steve said, "it's simple and it will be effective, but where will we go?"

"My place," Tony instantly answered, "it's big enough and it is well protected. If SHIELD decides to fight us, they'll have a lot of trouble entering my mansion. The security system is top notch. I only hope Loki won't ruin in on the inside. Who knows how he'll react."

"He won't do anything at first," Thor said, thinking deeply. He had always known his brother well, but not anymore. So much had changed between them and Thor hated it. "We're his only chance right now and he needs our protection. I can't tell what he'll do once he'll have regained his magic, though."

"I say we worry about that later," Bruce said, "let's take one step at a time."

"Exactly," Tony smiled.

oOo

Thor's feet were bringing him closer and closer towards Loki and his heart was beating ferociously within his chest. He didn't know what feeling he was experiencing, but he didn't really enjoy it. He was nervous for some reason, but not because of SHIELD. He simply didn't know how he would find Loki. Would he be sleeping? Would he be covered with bruises and cuts? Perhaps he would look ghostly pale or unnaturally sick. Thor tried to ignore those thoughts, he tried to focus on the only goal – freeing his brother – but it was too hard.

When they reached Loki's cell, Thor, Tony, Steve and Bruce glanced around. There weren't any guards around, but that would soon change. Fury, having received orders as well, had arranged it so that as soon as the cell door opened without the proper authorization, an alarm would sound throughout the entire base. This hall would be flooded with agents within seconds, but Thor was prepared to fight his way out. He was prepared to do anything for his brother at this point.

"Do you have it?" He heard himself ask.

Tony nodded, taking out a key from his pocket. He had snatched it from one of the guards who had the task of bringing Loki back to his cell. It was a miracle that the guard hadn't noticed the theft. Tony stepped forward and pushed the key into the keyhole. With a smooth movement, he twisted it. Before he pulled open the heavy door, he looked into Thor's eyes and then nodded.

As soon as Tony opened the door, a high-pitched alarm sounded, but that didn't stop Thor from rushing into the cell.

oOo

When the alarm sounded throughout the base, Fury folded his arms behind his back and inhaled deeply. He gave it five seconds before an agent would come rushing to him. He hadn't expected it to be Maria Hill.

"Sir," she said, sounding more annoyed than worried, "they are trying to break out Loki."

Fury said nothing for a long moment. He only let the words sink in deeper. There was just one thought in his mind, however, and he knew Maria – along with many others – shared it. _What the hell had taken them so long?_ Fury turned around and looked directly into Maria's bright, brown eyes.

"What should we do?" Maria asked.

"Nothing," Fury smiled faintly, "we should do nothing."

A faint smile covered Maria's lips. "Yes, Sir."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: Thank you so much for the reviews! I am so glad that more and more are liking this story. I hope this chapter won't disappoint. There is angst in here, but I didn't want to go overboard and make it melodramatic so I hope I succeeded in that.**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 10**

Thor rushed into Loki's cell and he held his breath while switching on the light. The little room flooded with a dirty, yellow light and Thor wished he could turn it off again. He didn't like what he saw. More so, he hated it. On a narrow bed, covered with a thick blanket, lay Loki.

His eyes were closed, his ashen skin covered with small drops of sweat. There were no cuts visible on his face, but when Thor gently pushed aside the blanket, he was horrified by Loki's arms. They had turned blue, with marks just like the frost giants. Thor was well aware of Loki's inheritance, but to actually see his brother slowly transform into such a creature startled him. There was only one reason why Loki would turn blue; he had become so weak that Odin's spell no longer had a hold over him.

Hesitating, Thor reached out to touch Loki's skin and found it icily cold.

"Thor, we have to hurry," Steve said softly, keeping a safe distance away from the God of Thunder.

Thor had no idea how he looked. Scared? Angry? Crazy? All that mattered was Loki right now and Thor realized that he had never stopped being his big brother. He was prepared to do anything for him and no one, _no one_ was allowed to harm him. Carefully, he placed a hand on Loki's shoulder and gently shook it.

"Loki, wake up," he said, watching Loki's face contort into a painful expression, "come on, brother, I have to get you out of here."

Loki's eyes suddenly flew open, his green having turned into a dull grey color. Thor was momentarily taken off guard by that look. He didn't even recognize Loki in it, but he made sure his hand remained heavy on his shoulder.

"You're not real," Loki sighed, closing his eyes again. It seemed he thought he was dreaming. "This is another of their experiments."

"No, it's not," Thor assured him, not liking the way Loki's voice sounded so weak, "believe me." Time was indeed of essence here and Thor knew he had no other choice. He pushed an arm underneath Loki's back and carefully lifted him up. It was surprising how light he had become, but he was still an adult man. When Thor threatened to lose his balance, he saw Steve rush to his aid in the corner of his eye.

"_No_!" Thor growled, quickly adjusting his hold on his brother so that he could hold him properly. "Don't you dare touch him."

Quickly, Steve lifted both his arms in a surrendering kind of way and gently backed out of the cell. "Okay," he said, never looking away from Thor and Loki, "but we have to hurry now."

Thor stepped out of the cell, his brother currently in his arms, and he could feel the heavy gazes of Bruce and Tony on himself. He wondered what they were thinking, but he also didn't want to know. All that mattered was that Loki was safe as long as he was with him. At least, that was what Thor wanted to believe. The idea of leaving Loki behind, frightened him, even the idea of leaving him with Steve or Tony didn't sit well.

"Come on," Tony said, turning around and leading the way out of the facility.

It all went too easy. They encountered a few guards, but quickly fought them off. When they ran into three agents, they were surprised to find Barton and Romanoff distracting them. It seemed the Avengers had come to their senses about torturing Loki, but Thor wasn't prepared to forgive and forget. Too much had happened for that.

As soon as Thor could breathe in the cold night air, he felt almost liberated. He had come this far and all seemed to be working out. He refused to believe that this could still go to hell and in stead, he tightened his grip on Loki. The God of Mischief looked even worse under the pale moonlight. His ashen skin was now a mix of blue and grey and he was shaking. Thor didn't know why; because of the cold or because of his injuries?

Loki had always been able to withstand the cold rather well, it was probably the only advantage of actually being a frost giant. That left option two and Thor knew his brother needed rest.

Tony glanced back to see if anyone was following them. "Let's get to my car."

"All right," Thor replied, "but we have to move quickly. I do not like my brother this silent."

For a moment, Tony looked as if he was about to say something clever and insulting, but Steve quickly pushed him aside to take a better look at the sleeping – unconscious? - Loki. Carefully, as if he waited for Thor's consent, he placed a hand on Loki's sweating forehead. "He needs rest," he said, looking into Thor's eyes, "and his injuries need to be cleaned."

At those words, Thor took a step back. "This is all your fault," he said, directed at both Steve and Tony, "he wouldn't be like this if it wasn't for you." No one replied which made Thor even angrier. "If something happens to him – if Loki doesn't make it, then I'll have both your heads."

"Fair enough," Tony said, for once no humor in his voice, "let's not waste any time then."

oOo

Tony was still replaying the events of the night in his head. It was strange to be back at his mansion. He had thought he would feel completely safe here, but the idea of Loki currently sleeping in one of his guest rooms didn't settle well. At first, he hadn't minded allowing the God of Mischief to stay here, but now he was beginning to doubt whether or not it was such a great idea. The fact that Steve, Bruce and Thor were there as well did sooth him a bit. It was only a matter of time before Clint and Natasha would show up on his front step and perhaps Coulson would come as well.

When Steve walked into the living room, he halted and gazed at Tony who was lying on the sofa.

"What?" Tony asked, not liking the way Steve was staring so strangely at him. "It's been a tiring night, but I'm not comfortable with the idea of sleeping in my bedroom since it's only a few doors down from where Loki is currently staying."

"I don't think you have to worry about him for now," Steve said, sitting down on a one-person's sofa, "he's out cold. Besides, Thor is refusing to leave his side, but I can't blame him. He doesn't trust us anymore, Tony, and I'm not sure he'll ever trust us again."

"He will," Tony sighed, closing his eyes. He didn't want everyone to make such a great deal out of this. Thor was a stubborn man, but Tony believed that he couldn't live without his friends. Thor needed the Avengers as much as they needed him. "Thor might not like it, but he needs us now more than ever. We are the only thing standing between SHIELD and Loki."

"What about Asgard?" Steve asked.

"What _about_ Asgard?"

"Come on, Tony, we all know what happened over there." Steve shifted his weight and Tony couldn't help but stare back at him. When Steve spoke again, he lowered his voice as if he didn't want Thor to hear him. "Fury actually went to Odin who did nothing to stop the torture. Thor knows this, but what will happen when Loki finds out?"

"Loki doesn't need to know," Tony said evenly. Lying to the master of lies wouldn't be easy, but it wasn't an impossible task. "Like you said, there's no telling what Loki will do should he find out the truth. Besides, I don't think Thor is a fan of telling him either."

"Doesn't feel right," Steve breathed out heavily.

"So now your moral compass is working again?" Tony knew there lay too much sarcasm in his voice, and Steve did seem hurt by his comment.

"We're all evenly guilty in this one," he said coldly, "I just believe that telling Loki the truth might be better in the end. If he were to find out we have been lying to him, he'll freak out and go on another rampage."

"You're forgetting one thing here, Steve," Tony said, pushing himself up into a sitting position, "you're talking like Loki is suddenly part of our team, our family. Let me remind you that he _isn't_. Loki is still our enemy, he's still the villain of this story, but we just disliked the idea of torturing him because - simply put - the concept of torture is wrong."

"You are unbelievable, Stark," Steve said, narrowing his eyes, "you're just trying to take the easy way out, but this is far more complicated than that. There is no easy way in this. Thor is upstairs with his brother and he is furious. Helping Loki might just be the only way to regain his trust."

Tony couldn't help but snort. "Ha! So you admit that this isn't actually about Loki anymore. This is about Thor. Loki is just the means that will lead us to our end. That means that we are using Loki yet again."

Steve merely shook his head. "Why are you always trying to simplify things?"

"Because making things easier usually leads us to the bare truth."

oOo

Thor didn't remove his gaze from his brother. Loki was laying in a comfortable bed, his clothes fresh and his wounds cleaned. Thor had been horrified to find burn marks and cuts all over his brother's body, but he had learned to keep calm when looking at them. He had wanted to punch someone, to throw his hammer and destroy this very house, but he couldn't. For one, this was Stark's house and they were his guest at the moment. Without him, they had no place to go. Thor used to believe that Asgard would always be his safe haven, but even that had been taken away from him. He still couldn't believe his father had agreed to this and he wondered whether his mother was aware.

Inhaling deeply, he watched his brother's chest rise and fall. He didn't know how much time passed, but eventually, Loki's eyes opened and Thor was relieved to find that some of their green color had returned.

"Thor?" Loki said in a rough voice.

"Yes, I am here," Thor replied softly. He didn't move closer since he didn't want to startle him. "How are you feeling?"

"As if you are beating Mjolnir all over my body," Loki sighed, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. When they opened again, he instantly focused on Thor. "Where am I?"

"You're safe, brother," Thor assured him, leaning his elbows on his knees, "I am not leaving your side again."

A long moment passed and Thor could see a thousand thoughts flicker across his brother's mind. Not many of them were positive, but Thor couldn't blame him.

"Did you know?" Loki asked. "Did you know they were torturing?" Thor didn't know why he didn't respond. There was something in Loki's voice that made him feel entirely guilty. "They never asked me anything," Loki continued, "they just...did all these experiments to see how long I could last, but they never said a word to me."

"I am sorry."

Slowly, as if Loki didn't really have any control over his body, he lifted his left arm and gazed at the bracelet on his wrist. It was still attached to his skin and Loki growled when it didn't move when he touched it.

This was the first time Thor looked at it so thoroughly. He knew the bracelet prevented Loki from using magic, but he hadn't given it much thought. Of course he had tried to remove it, but when it hadn't budged, Thor had told himself that it was a worry for later.

"I can't get it off, no one can, but here is a way," Loki said, still looking at the bracelet, "but you won't like it."

At this point, Thor was willing to do anything for his brother. "Tell me."

Loki let his gaze slide from the bracelet to Thor's face. "Mjolnir," he said carefully.

Again, silence. Thor's mind was racing, trying to understand what Loki was telling him, _asking_ of him, but he somehow couldn't comprehend it. Using Mjolnir to destroy the bracelet could have similar consequences like when Loki had destroyed the original device. Yes, he had been willing to do anything for Loki, but this seemed too much. The last thing he wanted, was to hurt his brother even more.

"Loki, what you are asking of me is-"

"You want to help me," Loki interrupted him, his eyes pinning down Thor's gaze. There lay defiance in his green eyes, as if he was challenging Thor to do this for him. "Get this bracelet off and I'll finally have my magic back. I won't be at anyone's mercy any more."

"Not instantly," Thor corrected him, "remember last time? You only had your magic back a few days after you destroyed that device in the laboratory. It will probably be the same now. We can ask Tony for help since he helped create that thing on your wrist."

"That would require him returning to SHIELD and I doubt they'll let him to this. Besides, I do not want to fall into their hands again," Loki said, "if you truly want to help me, you'll do this."

Thor only looked at Loki. He wasn't sure he should do this, but there was a point to Loki's words. They couldn't go back to SHIELD. Bringing Loki there to get the bracelet off was not an option and Thor doubted Tony could manage it here. Indeed, that only left one option.

Still. "We don't know what will happen."

Loki shifted his gaze to Thor's side where Mjolnir was resting on the floor. He placed his wrist next to his pillow and turned his head away from it. "Just do it."

This was a bad idea, a _very_ bad idea, but Thor reached for his hammer none the less and stepped closer towards Loki's bed. He could see his brother's face from this angle and he could see how Loki was staring into the distance. Refusing was still an option. They could give Tony a chance at getting the bracelet off, but Thor somehow didn't want to say 'no' to Loki.

He raised his hammer and after inhaling deeply, brought it back down. It instantly shattered the bracelet and the force it released was immense. Thor staggered back, feeling a power hit him square in the chest. The windows and glass around him broke into a thousand pieces.

That wasn't what terrified Thor.

Loki screamed, louder than he had ever screamed before.

This had been a very bad idea indeed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: Thank you for the reviews! This is a shorter chapter again, but I am still trying to figure out where this story is going so if you have any ideas or tips, they are extremely welcome! Enjoy the read :)**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 11**

Seconds seemed to last minutes as Thor made his way to Loki. He had stopped screaming and lay motionless on the bed with his eyes closed. Thor didn't want to assume anything and he certainly didn't want to think the worst. His heart felt heavy, however, and the idea that he had hurt his brother sent shivers down his back. He had gone to great lengths to protect Loki and now he had taken his hammer and smashed his brother's wrist.

How could he be so stupid?

"Loki?"

Loki's eyes flew open and he instantly sought out his brother's face, but he didn't move otherwise. Thor didn't know what he found more disturbing; the silence of his brother or his stoic stare. Carefully, he placed a hand on Loki's shoulder and only then dared to look at his left hand. It was twisted awfully, the bone clearly broken and threatening to break through the skin.

"Thank you," Loki breathed.

Thor didn't understand why Loki was thanking him after he had broken his wrist. Then again, it had never been easy to understand Loki's mind, to understand his train of thoughts. Thor simply examined Loki's wrist, making sure he didn't hurt him even more. Loki grunted in pain, pressing his lips together until they formed a thin, white line.

Not five seconds later did Tony and Steve rush inside, obviously having heard the noise coming from the room. Their faces spoke of shock and surprise, but Thor paid them no attention. He focused entirely on Loki.

"This will hurt," Thor warned his brother, but he didn't wait and with a swift pull, he reset the bone. It cracked with a vile popping sound and Loki quickly looked away, his eyes shut tightly as he tried to restrain himself from making a sound.

"What the hell happened here?" Tony asked, not liking the sight of his half destroyed guest room. He stepped further inside, the glass crunching beneath his shoes.

"My brother is free now," Thor said, still keeping his hand underneath Loki's for support, "I have destroyed the bracelet so that his magic can return."

Steve didn't hesitate when hearing that. "I'll get bandages." He vanished from the room and when he returned a moment later, he was carrying a small orange box with a large red cross on it. He didn't move too close to Thor and Loki, but merely handed the box over to the God of Thunder.

While Thor took care of Loki's broken wrist, the silence in the room was becoming almost unbearable. Thor wanted to break it, he wanted to say something, _anything_, but he couldn't think of anything. The fact that Steve and Tony were in the room as well didn't help. They somehow seemed to violate his privacy. It seemed they were reading Thor's mind because after another awkward three minutes, they silently left the guest room.

Loki hadn't moved at all, but his eyes examined Thor's every move. There lay distrust in those green orbs and Thor couldn't blame him. Again, he wanted to say something, but Loki was first.

"Why are you helping me?"

Thor didn't take his eyes away from his brother's wrist as he carefully applied the bandages. Normally, he would insist on him taking his brother to a healing room in Asgard, but since it was only a matter of time for his magic to return, Thor found it unnecessary. As soon as Loki's magic would be back, all his wounds would be healed. That and Thor hated the idea of his brother returning to Asgard right now. He knew that once they entered the realm, he could trust no one anymore.

"I've seen _them_ around," Loki continued when Thor didn't answer, "I like to believe that I know Stark. He has designed the bracelet with Adler's help. He did everything to incapacitate me so why is he helping me now?"

Thor, having finished with Loki's wrist, stared at the white bandages. He knew that once he looked into his brother's eyes, he would want to tell him the complete truth. He also knew Loki wasn't ready for that. He would never be ready for that. "They all realized that torture is wrong, that torturing you is wrong. I apologize for all that has happened, but I know they don't expect your forgiveness. Neither do I."

"I see," Loki said softly, slowly lifting his wrist as to see how much he could move it around. He quickly halted, his face turning into a sneer when the pain intensified. "I believe they want _your_ forgiveness, Thor."

Thor arched an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"This is very interesting," Loki continued to say, "apparently the Avengers are in disarray because of me and I didn't even intend for it to happen. I have to admit that I am deeply enjoying this."

"I will take care of you, Loki," Thor promised his brother, meeting his gaze to find it awfully dark. His voice had sounded so light, but his eyes betrayed his true emotions. Thor didn't want to know what thoughts were currently shifting through Loki's mind, but he knew they were unsettling. "If I had known what was happening to you, I would have saved you sooner."

Loki scowled. "I don't need your saving," he sneered, "I'd rather be tortured for a century than wait for your rescue."

"I believe you," Thor said, his voice soft. He didn't want this to end in a fight. If anything, this was his change to break the alienation that was going on between them. This was chance to be brothers again. It seemed Loki didn't share that idea. "You are my brother even though we don't share blood, but a wise man on TV once said; family doesn't end with blood. I will not give up on you and I never will."

"That's not what you said a few days ago," Loki replied icily.

"I was angry then," Thor defended himself, "I shouldn't have said those words, but look at us now. We're brothers again."

"No," Loki quickly countered, "you think we are brothers because I am here with you, talking to you. Don't think for a second that I want to be here. As soon as my magic returns, I will be gone and we will be back to normal."

"Normal?" Thor echoed. "You believe that fighting each other is normal?"

"It is for us," Loki said with a smile, "we are destined to be enemies and Odin knows this. He once hoped that he could unite the Kingdoms of Asgard and Jotunheim through us, but he never realized that hating each other is in our blood. That and the fact that he lied to me my entire life."

Thor couldn't help but swallow heavily. The hatred in Loki's voice ran deep and it unsettled Thor to hear him speak those words. Loki clearly despised everything that had to do with their father which made the thought of his recent betrayal only heavier. Thor felt his heartbeat speed up as if it were trying to tear its way out of his chest.

Loki narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Shaking all thoughts of Odin away, Thor quickly focused back on his brother. Clearly, he was too late and lying to the God of Lies was an impossible task. Yet, Thor knew he had to try. "It saddens me that you think that way."

Thor could almost hear Loki's skepticism radiating from his silence. He knew he was a terrible liar, he had always been a terrible liar. A long time ago, when they had only been boys, Thor hadn't been able to understand why Loki was so good at the mischievous stuff, at the lying and deceiving, but then the time had come where he had learned of Loki's true inheritance and Thor hadn't been able to stop himself from thinking 'oh, so that's how Loki's so naturally good at it'.

"Spending time with those misfits in dashing outfits has made you an even more terrible liar," Loki said, "if you truly want us to be brothers again, then tell me what is on your mind. And do not offend me by lying again."

"Perhaps it is best if you do not know," Thor said, knowing that this was the most honest answer he was willing to give him, "I know this answer doesn't satisfy you, but I am asking you to let this matter go."

"What secret are you hiding?" Loki asked stubbornly. "It must be dreadful that the mere thought of it scares you. That's what is hidden in your gaze, Thor, fear. What do you think will happen when I find out?" There was a short pause, but Loki continued before Thor could answer. "Do you think I will throw a tantrum and destroy half the city as soon as my magic is back?"

In some ways, that would be one of the better outcomes of the different scenarios. Apparently, Loki was able to read that thought as well and Thor made a mental note to himself that he should try and shield his thoughts better. He didn't like the way Loki was able to read him so easily. Then again, they had grown up together and they had been close for centuries. It only made sense that Loki knew him so well.

"That bad, huh?" Loki said.

"You should rest," Thor said, making his way to the door, "you look tired and I shall leave you in peace for now."

"What a convenient escape," Loki kept his eyes on Thor, "but I will find out the truth, Thor."

"Of that, I do not doubt," Thor sighed.

oOo

Thor found Tony and Steve sitting at the kitchen table. They were clearly discussing their current situation and when Thor entered the kitchen, they quickly fell silent. He knew both men wouldn't enjoy the idea Thor was about to share with them, but it had to be done.

Tony smiled, a bit too politely and too distant. "How is your brother?"

"His wounds will heal with time," Thor answered, still glad that Tony asked, "and there is no telling when his magic will return. All that I know, is that it will take days. Thank you for allowing him to stay here until then."

"No problem," Tony said, though it was clear he still hated that fact.

"I must leave now," Thor said, not wanting to postpone the inevitable, "to Asgard. I must hear my father on this matter to try and find out why he allowed SHIELD to torture my brother."

"_What_?" Tony blurted out. "You can't leave now, not with your brother in my guest room! I understand that he has no magic, which means he's quite weak at the moment, but he still has a thousand tricks up his sleeve you are still the only one that knows how to handle him."

Thor smiled faintly. He regarded Tony's words as a compliment. "I will not be gone for long, a few hours at most. Loki is resting so he will not be any trouble."

"This is Loki, the God of Mischief," Steve said, protesting to the idea of Thor leaving as well, "he will always be trouble."

"I understand, but this must still be done," Thor said, "Loki will not be any trouble. Right now, he needs us so he won't put up a fight. Just leave him be in the guest room and everything will be all right. I shall return before sunset."

Tony and Steve merely sighed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: The quote from the previous chapter was one by the famous Bobby Singer of Supernatural. It's awesome that so many of you knew this! It just really fitted with the story here. Anyway, after a shorter chapter last time, here is a longer one again. I just hope I got Loki right and I hope you won't all raise an army to battle Odin after this... Though I would definitely join if you did.**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 12**

Bored. Bored, bored, bored. _Bored_. Loki kept repeating the word over and over in his head, but that somehow only made it worse. Laying in bed, not doing anything while he was in Stark's house, almost felt like brand new torture. Surely there had to be something around which could entertain Loki for at least five minutes.

With a heavy sigh, he pushed aside the silk sheets and got up. Small black dots began to jump up and down his vision, but Loki managed to keep his balance. He waited a few seconds and when his surroundings sharpened again, he walked towards the window. The sun was beginning to set, coloring the sky pink and orange, but not even this nice view could calm him. Loki felt tense, on the tips of his toes and he would be as long as he was in the same house as the Avengers. He didn't know what Thor had been thinking, but they were still enemies.

"Beautiful, huh?"

Loki had not heard him coming into the guest room, but he had enough self control to keep himself from jumping ten feet in the air. He didn't even bother to turn around, but instead kept his gaze firmly on the horizon.

"You should see the view in Asgard," he said blankly, keeping every thought and emotion under wraps. The last thing he wanted was Tony Stark to get a glimpse of his inner self. "It has mountains that disappear into the sky and the oceans have the most peculiar color."

"I'm sure you miss it," Tony said, slowly approaching the God of Mischief. Loki could watch him through the reflection of the window and he could see the hesitation in Tony's eyes. The man was clearly uncomfortable, but he managed to conceal it well. "Asgard, your home, _do_ you miss it?"

"At times," Loki admitted. He saw no reason to lie about it to him. Besides, it's easier to hide a lie in a stack of truths. Tony was bound to ask questions Loki wanted to avoid. "But it can get very crowded and the people there are so shallow."

"Really?" Tony sounded honestly surprised. "The way Thor speaks of them, I imagined the Asgardians different."

"Of course Thor praises them," Loki almost spat out the words, but he forced himself to stay calm. He disliked the Asgardians. They didn't care for him so why would he care for them? Thor had always been their Prince, their savior so Loki would make damn sure they would need a hero to protect them. "They are his people and he will be King one day," Loki said, "I have no illusions about that."

"So why fight him?" Tony asked. He now stood beside Loki, but they were both looking out of the window. It almost made this a safer conversation. _Almost_. "If you know Thor will be King of Asgard and not you, why continuously fight your brother for the throne?"

Loki bit down. Hard. If that is what Thor has fed them as lies, then Loki had misjudged his brother since the beginning. He thought Thor was incapable of telling lies since he was such an idiot, but apparently, he had been spinning his own truths to the rest of the Avengers and Loki couldn't believe they had bought into that crap. "If that's what Thor told you, then it must be true," he simply said, not wishing to have an actual conversation with Tony about this.

"To be honest, Thor hasn't told us much about you. Judging by your reaction, my previous statement isn't true. You're not fighting him for the throne," Tony slowly nodded his head as if he understood the entire situation, "then why are you fighting him at all? More importantly, why are you fighting him here on earth?"

Loki glanced at Tony out of the corner of his eye, but Tony still had his gaze fixed on the horizon. His hands were behind his back, his fingers intertwined. There was a tension in his neck and his jawline was set, but other then that, Tony seemed rather at ease. Of course, Loki should have realized before. Without his magic, he was weak and if any time was right for the Avengers to get some answers out of him, it was now.

"Why would I answer you?" Loki asked, slight amusement in his voice. Now that he knew what Tony was trying to achieve, he could play this game as well.

"Maybe because I deserve to know?" Tony turned his head, made eye-contact for about two seconds and then turned to look ahead again. "This is my planet, my home and I truly don't want to see it get wrecked."

Loki chuckled. "Perhaps this planet will once be destroyed," he said, "but it will not be because of my actions. Sure, I like to regard this as as playground and I have done some terrible things, but there are others out there and they _do_ want to destroy earth."

"So you're just playing along," Tony said, "because it's fun."

Loki wanted to roll his eyes in disbelief. If Tony truly thought that to be the reason, then he wasn't as smart as everyone gave him credit for. Midgardians always went for the easiest solution and answer. "Exactly."

There was a short silence, but Tony managed to break it first. "See, I don't believe you. Is anything you tell me the truth?"

So maybe Tony was a bit brighter than most Midgardians. "I'll tell you the truth," Loki said, turning on his heels so that he was facing Tony. The Iron Man did the same, his eyes narrowed. "I try to destroy this planet because in the end, it doesn't matter to me. There is nothing here that I care for, nothing that I would want to protect. Also, I am Thor's little brother so everything he loves I want to see destroyed just because I hate him."

"I can see the hate in your eyes," Tony said, "but I'm not sure it's directed at your brother."

Loki smiled darkly. "And since when do you have such a fine understanding of me? Oh, perhaps since you studied me from behind that mirror? I admit, you and your organization have some great torture techniques. I wonder who taught you that, or maybe cruelty is just an innate characteristic to humanity."

Tony's eyes widened why he pressed his lips together. "What will you do to us?" He asked, a mixture of curiosity and fear in his eyes. "When your magic returns, how will you punish SHIELD and humanity for the torture?"

Loki's dark smile turned into a deviant one, but he didn't answer. There were still plans to be made and of course Loki would take out his anger on earth, but he sure as hell wasn't going to spill his plans to Anthony Stark. What was he? A stupid villain from a Disney story?

"I get that you're angry," Tony continued when he noticed Loki wasn't planning to say anything, "with me, with the Avengers, with your brother and your father. I just wonder if you ever get tired of it?"

"What does Odin have to do with this?" Loki asked, frowning. Why had Tony gone from being angry for the torture to being angry with Odin? Why had that old man slipped into this conversation? Loki didn't like where this was going, but he wanted answers so he watched Tony's face like a hawk. Any lie or attempt at a lie and he would know. "Explain to me why you think I should be angry with Odin."

"_What_?" Tony was clearly taken off guard. "You're angry with everyone, aren't you?"

"Yes," Loki admitted since that was a universally known truth, "but the way you said it... You think I am angry with him for the torture." This had to do something with Thor's secret, Loki could sense that from a mile away, but he still didn't like where this was going. Sure, he wanted to know the truth, but that didn't mean it would somehow satisfy him.

Tony looked directly into Loki's eyes. "Well, he didn't interfere, did he? I know your father has this man under his command that apparently sees all. Surely your father knew about your situation, but he did nothing about it."

Loki took a moment to process Tony's words. They made sense, but then again...no. Loki remained staring at Tony until he figured out that the Iron Man was a better liar than he had ever given him credit for. Still, Loki wanted the truth and he would not rest before he got it. If Odin had something to do with the torture, then he deserved to know. Unfortunately, the mere idea of his father's –_ Odin's_ involvement somehow made him furious.

"Your arms," Tony suddenly said, pulling Loki away from his thoughts.

Loki lifted both his arms and found them blue with strange markings all over them. He had seen it happen before when he turned into his Jotun form, but never had his transformation happened like this. Curiously, however, as Loki gazed at his alien arms, he watched how his skin color changed again. He turned back into his Asgardian body.

"I'll leave you now," Tony said, already stepping back, "Thor will soon be back anyway."

"He has left?"

Tony seemed hesitant about his answer. "Yes," he said, "to Asgard, but like I said, he'll be back soon." With those words, Tony left the guest room and Loki found himself staring at his own reflection in the window. He could still see a faint shade of crimson in his own eyes, but it was fading quickly and eventually he was staring at his normal green eyes again.

Odin's glamor spell was still not working properly and anger and hatred had canceled it out momentarily. For a brief moment, he wondered what had been going through Tony's mind to see Loki's original blue skin and red eyes, but then Loki was brought back to thoughts of Odin. What if he was involved in the torture somehow? Loki had no idea what he would do if that turned out to be true.

Tony's words echoed through his head. '_I just wonder if you ever get tired of it?_' Loki did grow tired from feeling angry all the time, from being hateful about everything, but he somehow couldn't stop himself. Being angry also made him feel safe. He had trusted people before, he had trusted his family, and they had all betrayed him.

Still, Loki did feel tired.

oOo

When Thor arrived in the Throne Room, he hadn't expected it to be so empty. Normally, upon his return to Asgard, his father would welcome him back alongside his mother, the warriors three and the Lady Sif. Occasionally, there would also be other guests, but not today. The great hall was empty, Thor's footsteps echoing loudly. Odin sat on the throne, Gungnir placed besides him and his blue eyes intently on his approaching son.

Not being in the mood for exchanging pleasantries, Thor cut straight to the chase. "Father," he said, "I come to hear you about Loki. I cannot believe that what I heard is true."

Odin's stoic appearance didn't change. He remained looking at his son with a calculated gaze in his eyes. "And what have you heard then?"

"What happened when Colonel Fury came? What did you say when he explained Loki's situation?" Thor already grew angry even though he had promised himself to stay calm. He wanted answers from his father and shouting would not aid his cause.

"I have listened to his case," Odin explained, "and I have weighed the options. Being King means that difficult choices have to be made and this was one of them. One day, you shall be faced with the same dilemma."

"I would never allow anyone to torture Loki or anyone else for that matter," Thor said with a raised voice. His father's words enraged him and he couldn't believe that Odin even had the courage to speak them. Loki was his son, but he allowed the humans to use them as a guinea pig? Either Odin had lost his mind or something else was going on. "You have taught me about decency and pride, as well as humility and love. Loki has done dreadful things, but torturing him isn't the solution here. What did you think would have happened?"

Odin inhaled deeply and Thor suddenly saw an old, tired man in stead of a strong, wise King. "Asgard has a peace treaty with Midgard, one that I have sworn to uphold. They are important allies to us, Thor, and I could not risk a war because of Loki."

"Nonsense," Thor spat, "Midgard wouldn't have started a war if you had demanded Loki's immediate return to Asgard. Humans are strong and intelligent, but they are no match for our armies, not yet anyway. So why did you give Colonel Fury permission to experiment on Loki?"

There was a short silence, one that felt heavy on Thor's chest. He had been disappointed by his father's actions and decisions before, but this one topped them all.

"It is complicated, my son," Odin sighed.

"Explain it to me," Thor demanded, "make it simple."

"I am King, Thor," Odin said, his voice stronger again. He clearly disliked the idea of his son challenging him like this. "I have people to lead, but I need them as much as they need me. There has been a restlessness amongst our people recently, because they live in fear of not knowing who shall take the throne once I have grown too old. If something were to happen to both of us, Loki still had a legitimate claim to the throne."

Thor frowned, shocked by what he was hearing. "Loki never wanted to throne," he said softly.

"But that will not stop him from trying to take it, if only because he wants to proof that he can," Odin said, "which is why the people needed protection from him."

"I don't understand," Thor was trying to wrap his mind around it, but he couldn't, "what have you done in order to keep Loki from claiming the throne?"

"The only thing I could do," Odin sighed, "I disowned him."

"_What_?" Thor couldn't believe what he was hearing. This wasn't something he had expected or even thought possible. Odin had always been a strict father, but only because he had to. Raising two sons, both princes, wasn't an easy task and Loki had never been an easy child, but to refuse acknowledgment of him was wrong. Not only did that unmake him Odin's son, it also unmade him Thor's brother.

"It is difficult to understand," Odin said, "but I had no other choice. Loki has made it clear which life he has chosen; one of mischief and chaos. The people of Asgard needed to know that he can never become their King."

"So you disowned him?" Thor, who had previously promised himself to remain calm, was now yelling. His grip on Mjolnir tightened, but he knew he would never throw it at Odin. For one, he was still his father. Two, he was still his King. "You are a wise King, but when it comes to Loki, you suddenly turn into an ignorant father."

"Thor!" Odin said forcefully. "I will not hear this. My decision has been made and you, as my son and as the heir to this throne, should support me."

"No," Thor simply said, "I will not support you in this matter. It is wrong and you do not even understand that. What is mother's say in this matter? Where is she?"

"Your mother," Odin sighed, "she shares your view, but she also understands that I will not change my mind."

"Then I'll go to her," Thor spun around on his heels and left the throne chamber. He didn't wait for Odin to say something else, he didn't even bid his father a proper goodbye. Thor did not care at the moment. He just wanted to see his mother and tell her that he would help. He wanted to embrace her and tell her that all would be well.

When he arrived at his mother's personal chambers, he didn't hesitate to knock. Only when he heard Frigga's voice calling him in did he enter. Her eyes brightened when she watched her son enter and a smile curved her lips upwards. Thor had missed her and seeing her again after all this time made him feel at least a little bit better. Frigga ran forward and flung her arms around her son's neck. Thor happily return the hug and buried his face into his mother's hair.

"Oh, I have missed you," Frigga sighed, finally letting Thor go after a minute of silence, "so much has happened and I do not even know where to begin!"

"I know, mother," Thor said sadly, looking into Frigga's kind eyes, "I have just spoken with father and I could not believe what he told me. Have you tried talking him out of it?"

"Of course," Frigga said. She turned around and walked towards a long table near the left corner of her sleeping chambers. A large bowl with fruit decorated the table, but Thor could tell his mother had not touched the food. When Frigga sat down, Thor followed her and went to sit next to her. "I have been so angry with your father. I haven't even seen him in days. I can be very stubborn, you know, almost like a child."

Thor chuckled, but then a new thought invaded his mind. If Frigga hadn't spoken with Odin in the last few days, then she was probably unaware of his conversation with Colonel Fury. He decided not to tell her, however. It was Odin's duty to do so, not his. "What can we do?" Thor asked. "I will not accept this decision. Loki is my brother and I will never abandon him."

Frigga smiled and placed a hand on Thor's hand. She squeezed it gently. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that." She retracted her hand and turned her gaze down. "Loki is my son and I will never disown him, no matter what your father wants me to do. The people aren't liking it, but they do seem to understand. They may call me a bad queen, but they shall never be able to call me a bad mother."

"You _are_ a good mother," Thor assured her, "one who was always there for us, even when we were being difficult."

"Indeed, you and Loki weren't easy children," Frigga laughed at the memories, "you were always out with the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, fighting and playing. Everyone thought Loki was a gentle child – and he was – but where people saw calmness, I saw loneliness. Where they saw tranquility, I saw sadness."

Thor listened intently to his mother. He had never heard her speak of Loki like this before and Thor had to admit that he had never considered Loki to be lonely and sad when he was a child. Thor had always thought he was just happy to be alone with his books and magic.

"Your father never understood him," Frigga continued, "he was proud of him – that I do not doubt – but he couldn't comprehend him. It must have been incredible hard for Loki to have no one close to him, to have no one understand him. I tried, the Gods know I tried, but I failed."

"No," Thor argued, "you did your best and if there is one person in all the worlds that Loki still loves, it is you."

Slowly, Frigga shook her head. "When he grew older," he voice was barely a whisper, "he grew more intelligent. I thought things were getting better, that he was...happy and that he had friends. He hung out with you more and he was getting stronger and stronger using magic. Only, Loki was _never _happy, he just learned how to lie about it. He fooled me and I, as his mother, should have noticed."

Thor did know what Frigga was talking about now. Loki had only been a few winters old, perhaps 11, when he had become almost an expert in lying and deceiving. At the time, Thor had known his brother was a trickster, but he had found it amusing then. Unfortunately, it had all evolved in such a dreadful way and now Thor cursed himself for not having seen the signs. He, too, should have seen how sad Loki had been all his life.

"No one noticed," Thor said, "but we are trying to help him now and that should count for something. Loki is with my friends now, on Midgard, and I promise you that I will not give up on him." Thor leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his mother's cheek. "And you are a good mother."

"You never knew your grandmother," she said, faintly smiling again, "but she was a wise woman and she used to say that becoming a mother is easy. Being one, now that is the trick. I am proud of you, Thor, and I know you are a good brother and a good son. One day, you will be a good father."

"Thank you," Thor smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: I am so sorry for the long wait. I have gone to see the Avengers (twice!) and I loved it. I adore it. Honestly, it was the perfect movie. Don't worry, I won't spoil anything. If any of you already have seen it, you're free to tell me what you think of it In the mean time, enjoy this chapter!**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 13**

Tony sighed heavily while staring at the bottle of whiskey in his hand. Maybe he shouldn't be drinking, not with Loki upstairs. Then again, perhaps he should make himself a drink just because of the black haired man and while he was at it, he should get Loki something as well. Getting the trickster drunk might just be a solution. It would definitely get him to talk about all of his plans and his troubles and his incredible hatred for Thor. Pouring in a glass, Tony shook those thoughts away. It might not be well for anyone to know what was going on in Loki's head.

Hearing Steve's footsteps approach, Tony poured his friend a drink as well. He knew Steve wasn't the kind of man that often enjoyed alcohol, but he figured that today was a day of exceptions. When he turned around, he found Steve frowning. Tony didn't wait, but handed him the second glass. Steve stared at it for a long moment and then drank it completely empty.

"Well," Tony said, half amused, "another?"

"No, thank you," Steve said, moving towards the couch and dropping down. He wasn't wearing his stars and stripes, but a casual white shirt and blue jeans. Tony could not get over the fact that Steve looked completely different when he wasn't wearing his outfit. He somehow looked smaller. "Have you spoken with Loki?"

"Yes," Tony answered, joining Steve on the couch, "but I'm not sure it helped anything. Why else would I be drinking at this hour of the day?"

"You're always drinking," Steve said in a matter of fact way.

"True," Tony smiled. He emptied his glass and contemplated on filling it up again, but he decided against it. He needed to be sober if Loki decided to screw them over or something. "I just don't understand how one man can hold so much anger. Not even Bruce is that angry."

"What did he say?"

"Like I said, not much," Tony explained, "he talked about hating Thor and wanting to destroy earth because Thor likes it so much. He talked about how he knew I observed him when he was being tortured so that doesn't exactly make me feel safe. Then I almost screwed up by telling him Odin gave us his consent about the torture, but I managed to talk my way out of it."

"You did _what_?" Steve's back was instantly straightened and his eyes became wide with shock.

"Relax," Tony said, waving away Steve's concerns "he doesn't know anything. He became, not to my surprise, angry which is when the weird part started. His arms turned blue, actual _blue_. Thor has told us about Loki's true inheritance, but this was the first time I actually saw him in his…what's it called…Jotun form."

Steve only looked at him, his eyes slightly narrowed. "I don't like this, Tony. Loki shouldn't be here and Thor shouldn't have left him here. He is an enemy of this world, but we treat him as if…"

"He isn't our guest, Steve," Tony understood what Steve was trying to say, "and I am sure that this isn't the end of this matter. Loki will get his magic back, he will return to being our enemy and we will be there to stop him when he tries to destroy another city. I just hope that Thor understands that he doesn't have his brother back."

"We'll see when he gets back," Steve sighed, "which should be any minute now."

oOo

Loki was tired of being stuck in Tony Stark's guest room. He was, if only slightly, grateful that he was allowed to stay here, but that didn't mean he had become their puppy. Being in Stark's mansion meant that Loki had access to SHIELD papers, to document not meant for his eyes, even to Tony's iron suit. He should try and make the best of his time here.

With a wide grin, he slipped out of the guest room and made his way downstairs. He had studied this place many times before to know that the most interesting stuff would be in the basement. There had to be a code, however, a password to get inside which was something Loki would have to find first. The best way to do that was to break into a computer. Luckily, there was a computer in every room of this house, but Loki needed one that was connected to JARVIS.

When he reached ground level, he couldn't help but hear Stark's voice as he talked to the Captain. Normally, Loki wouldn't have bothered to listen to the conversation, but there was such a sharp edge to Steve's voice that caused Loki to grow curious. He moved closer to the living room and made sure that neither Steve nor Tony noticed his unwanted presence.

"What did he say?" Steve asked.

"Like I said, not much," Tony answered, "he talked about hating Thor and wanting to destroy earth because Thor likes it so much. He talked about how he knew I observed him when he was being tortured so that doesn't exactly make me feel safe. Then I almost screwed up by telling him Odin gave us his consent about the torture, but I managed to talk my way out of it."

Whatever was being said beyond those words, Loki did not know. He could only hear Stark's words over and over in his head. _Odin gave us his consent about the torture. Odin gave us his consent about the torture. Odin gave us his consent about the torture._ Loki had known something was going on with the Allfather, he had heard it in Tony's voice earlier, but this…this was not something he had been anticipating. Together with anger and fury, Loki also felt deeply disappointed. Perhaps it was the fact that he had, yet again, been proven right about his so called family. It was proof that no one cared for him, that they had cast him out without a second thought.

Slowly, he stepped back, making sure that he made no noise what so ever. He had to think, he had to process what he had just heard and make up a plan. It was difficult, however, because his mind kept circling around Odin and Thor. Whatever Loki did next, it would be impulsive and it would be crazy, but the trickster didn't care. If only he had his magic now. He would burn down this place and show Thor just how much he despised him. He wanted to kill Tony and Steve, just to hurt his brother in all the right places. He wanted to burn down this entire planet and make sure Odin knew it was his entire fault.

He wanted to burn _everything._

When he found his way into a large room that served as an office, Loki quickly made his way towards the desk. All the papers were neatly stacked away, but Loki pulled them closer and searched for anything that might interest him. In the end, it all ended up scattered across the floor. He searched the documents on the computer, but the ones he really wanted to see where all guarded with a password. Loki tried multiple times to break in, but it was useless. He shouldn't have expected anything else. Tony was a genius after all.

When he pulled all the drawers from the desk, he found something he had not expected. It was a small revolver hidden away in a velvet red box and Loki smiled when he found matching bullets. He had never much liked mortal weapons, but with his magic gone, he had no other choice.

As if fate had intended it so, Tony entered right at the moment when Loki had hidden the revolver on him. It appeared Stark had heard noise coming from here which had drawn him closer. Loki wasn't sure whether he was pleased to see Tony or not. He was in the mood for some games.

"Here you are," Tony said carefully, his eyes shifting across the mess Loki had made, "found what you were looking for?"

Loki looked directly into Tony's eyes. He had the advantage on every level and he intended to make the best of it. "Not really," he answered with a devious smile on his lips, "I wanted your files, your SHIELD files, but you protected them too well."

"Thank you," Tony said with a fake smile on his face. He was holding an empty glass in his right hand and his fingers were clenched around it. He was clearly being careful about the entire situation. "I put a lot of work in those firewalls so the fact that you can't break in is truly a compliment."

Loki slowly rose from his seat behind the desk, but never broke eye contact. He enjoyed seeing Tony squirm before him. It was clear that the iron man did not trust him and finally Loki felt that things were returning to normal. "You must be eagerly awaiting Thor's return," he said, "how uncomfortable is it to have me in your house?"

"I won't lie," Tony shrugged, "_very_ uncomfortable."

Loki's smile broadened. "Good because I was starting to fear that you all thought I had turned or something."

"Turned?"

"Turned into something…not half bad."

"Please," Tony snorted, "I make no illusions. You're Loki and you are a trickster, a liar. You'll never be _good_. You enjoy chaos and war so why would I assume that you had turned?"

"Well," Loki thought about Tony's words, "maybe you don't think so, but Thor is convinced that I will be his brother again. Too much has changed, however. I am not his brother, nor will I ever be. I am not Odin's son and I will never again make the mistake of calling anyone my family. I am alone in all the worlds of the universe, Tony Stark, and I do not make the mistake of believing anything else."

Tony said nothing for a long time, only stared at Loki with large eyes. "You know."

"Yes," Loki grinned, not caring whether Tony was aware of that fact or not, "I heard you. You try so hard to keep the truth from me, but then you go around blabbering with the Captain. You might be a genius, but you can be very idiotic."

Tony nodded his head and Loki wondered what he was thinking right now. Was he scared of him? Did he hate that he now knew the truth? "I don't know what you're thinking right now," Tony said slowly, "but you have to understand that Thor doesn't agree with this, with any of this. He went to Asgard to demand an explanation from your father. He is trying to protect you."

Loki's grin disappeared instantly. Was he truly supposed to believe that Thor would go against the Allfather for his sake? This was the weakest lie so far. "Do you believe me stupid? I had the illusion that things could change, that perhaps not everyone was as hypocritical as Odin, but as time moves forward, I find myself astonished by how rotten everyone and everything is."

"I get that you're angry," Tony said, "you have every right to be, but think about what you are about to do. I understand that you want revenge, that you want us to pay for everything that has happened the past few days, but I am asking you to not make that mistake."

"And what is it that you think I am about to do?" Loki narrowed his eyes, his voice hard when he spoke.

"Something irrational," Tony answered, "something that will ruin everything and there will be no turning back."

Loki nodded, chaos and anger in his eyes. "Exactly," he hissed. He took the revolver from underneath his shirt and aimed it at Tony whose eyes widened in shock and terror. "When my brother returns, tell him that I will not rest until he is ruined. Tell him I won't stop before every person and every building on this planet is _burning_. Tell him that it is his entire fault."

Loki pulled the trigger and watched how the bullet tore its way through Tony's shoulder. The mortal screamed in pain, dropping the glass. It shattered into a thousand pieces and when Tony fell down, his arm landed on the broken glass. Loki watched without compassion, without feeling anything. He would have enjoyed that sight a few months ago, he would have laughed at Tony's pain, but now he felt absolutely _nothing_.

He was numb. Even his thoughts had become dull. Loki knew what he wanted, but even with this entire world destroyed, he would still feel numb. That had become his curse. No matter how much chaos he spread, it would never be enough. It could never satisfy him.

He was angry, furious and heartbroken and nothing could ever make that go away. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't try. Maybe, just maybe as he would watch everything burn around him, he would burn with it. And maybe then, only then would he feel something more than what he was feeling right now.

He stepped closer to Tony who was clutching his shoulder. His hands and arms were already red with warm blood.

"When my magic returns," Loki whispered, watching Tony's pale face, "I will make every person involved with SHIELD wish they were never born. I will destroy everything and everyone and I will save Thor for last and when I find his precious Jane," his voice hardened with every word he spoke, "I will destroy her too. So tell my _brother_ that he is in for a treat because when I have done all that, I will turn my gaze to Asgard. That is my promise to you, Tony Stark. I will not stop before everyone and everything is gone and I will make damn sure that you and your precious Avengers can only watch powerlessly."

Tony only swallowed heavily as Loki stepped away from him, his eyes burning and intensely green. Loki could not know what Tony was currently seeing in his gaze, but apparently, it frightened him more than anything in this world.

Loki could only think this; _good._


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: Thank you so much for the reviews! At first I thought no one had left me a message, but apparently, fanfiction doesn't send any mails anymore. Or is that just me? Anyway, here is the next chapter. I had tremendous fun writing this. I hope you'll have tremendous fun reading it. Don't worry, this is just the beginning…**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 14**

As soon as Steve heard the gunshot, he rushed towards where the sound was coming from. He had been long enough in this time period now, but still, when he heard a gun firing, he found his thoughts turning back to the Second World War. It never meant anything good and he hoped no one had gotten hurt. That scenario was highly unlikely, however, especially with Loki in this house. Steve worried for Tony, but he forced himself to stay focused.

He wished he had a gun of his own, however, or at least his shield, but he had left all that back in the SHIELD base. He made a mental note to himself never to part with his weapons again as he rushed through the living room and across the hall. He wasn't sure where the gunshot had come from so he entered the kitchen first. It was empty. He didn't hesitate and turned around, making his way into Stark's office.

His eyes instantly fell onto Tony sitting on the floor. Slumping might be a better verb to describe what Steve was currently seeing. Tony's eyes looked unfocused and his skin oddly pale. His one arm was clutching his right shoulder. Thick, dark blood was streaming down. Steve rushed forward, quickly pressing a hand against the bleeding wound.

"Forget about me," Tony growled, his voice strangely loud and powerful, "get after him!"

Steve shook his head. It would be pointless. "Loki's long gone by now," he said, reaching into Tony's pocket and taking out his phone. He had been practicing on using this technology, but Stark always had the most advanced and difficult stuff. "How do I call Coulson with this?"

"Just press number two," Tony growled.

"You have Coulson on speed dial? On _number_ _two_ on your speed dial?" Steve couldn't stop himself from making that comment. At least he had learned about the concept of speed dial a few days ago. He pressed the number and held the phone to his ear. Only a few seconds later did he heard Coulson's voice. He began to explain the situation and disconnected the call when he was assured that an ambulance would be sent their way.

"I don't need an ambulance," Tony protested, grunting when Steve pressed harder against his wound, "I survived captivity in Afghanistan. I'm sure as hell not going to let a bullet stop me. Certainly not a bullet fired by Loki."

"Why did he shoot you?" Steve asked. He took a moment to examine Tony's wound, but it appeared that no artery was hit. That and the fact that Tony was still talking was a good indication that he would be fine in the end. "I thought he was content with being here for the moment."

"He was never content, Steve," Tony said, leaning back his head against the wall and closing his eyes. He suddenly appeared very tired. "He found out. Loki heard us talking about Odin and he wasn't happy. We're in trouble, Steve, deep trouble."

Steve could hear sirens in the distance. "What did he say?"

"He said a lot," Tony sighed, "but the main point was that he wanted to watch all of us burn."

"Well," Steve said, knowing he had to prepare himself for war, "let's just hope Thor gets back in time. Maybe if we can find Loki before his magic returns-"

"No," Tony interrupted, "we're not going to find him, Steve. Loki doesn't want to be found."

"Then we'll prepare," Steve said, "we'll prepare for war."

oOo

A few hours later.

oOo

Jane had not been expecting Thor to show up at the university that day. She had been asked to give a guest lecture and in return, she would have gotten a decent sum of money. She didn't really care about the money, but it would be a nice funding for her research. Not that she could complain. Ever since she worked with SHIELD, she had been given access to the most advanced technology in this world. Working for SHIELD, however, meant that she also had contact with some strange figures.

One of those strange figures being one Anthony Stark. She had never liked the man, thinking he enjoyed the spotlight too much. She respected him and was thankful that he helped protect this world, but that didn't mean she had to like him. She still couldn't understand what Pepper saw in him. Maybe she knew him in a way she didn't, but all that Jane saw when meeting Tony was an arrogant and spoiled man.

Luckily, she had grown quite close to the other Avengers. She couldn't remember meeting a more polite man than Bruce Banner. Then there was Steve who was always the gentleman. She had only met Clint and Natasha a few times, but she liked them as well. They were both very professional. And then there was Thor. Meeting him had been a dream and Jane still found herself incredibly lucky that he loved her back.

When he arrived at the university that day, however, Jane knew he wasn't there for personal business. While wearing mortal clothes and sunglasses – no doubt a pair he had gotten from Tony – Thor still looked intimidating. It was fun to see the girls from the university all looking at him as if he were a god, though. Then again, this was Thor.

"Hi," Jane said when Thor stood right before her. He leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"I must ask you to come with me," Thor said, wrapping an arm around her waist and starting to walk away from the university. Jane could only follow, but that didn't mean she didn't have questions or protests.

"What?" Her voice was louder than she intended it to be. "I have a lecture to give which I can't just cancel. Thor, what is going on?" She managed to escape from Thor's grasp and forced him to look at her. She knew him well enough to know that something was wrong. _Horribly_ wrong and she had the right to know the truth.

Thor inhaled deeply and let his gaze slide across their surroundings. "It's Loki."

Jane wished she could say something soothing, something like 'I'm sorry', but she couldn't. He might be Thor's brother and she might have heard so much about him, but she had never actually met him before. After everything that has happened, she could only think 'again?'. "What has he done now?"

"Nothing yet," Thor explained, his body tense, "that's why I want you to come with me. I will escort you to a safe place. Don't worry, you'll be able to work, but you'll be under tight security."

"I'm sorry, Thor," Jane said, looking into Thor's blue eyes, "but I can't and won't stop living my life every time Loki threatens us."

"This time is different," Thor said.

Jane could hear that there was more to those words. There was something she didn't know, something she wasn't supposed to know, but Jane wasn't the kind of woman that blindly followed a man. She wanted the complete truth. "What do you mean?"

Thor glanced around again.

"And what are you searching for?"

Thor focused back on Jane and said: "I'm searching for Loki. He is lost, Jane, and I do not know if I can protect him from himself this time. So much has happened these past few days and I don't have time to explain it all, but I have reason to believe that he wants to hurt you. He wants to hurt everyone. Please come with me. Knowing that you are safe will help me focus on finding my brother."

Jane had never heard Thor's voice so soft, so heartbroken. She could only imagine what had happened these past few days and she searched her mind to see if she had heard something on the news or read something in the papers, but she couldn't think of anything. That only troubled her even more.

Slowly, she nodded. "I'll come with you," she said, "but only if you promise me that you'll be careful. I know you love Loki, but I don't want you to risk your life for him."

"My dear Jane," Thor said, smiling sadly, "he is my brother and I would follow him to the end of times if I have to."

Jane stepped closer to Thor and embraced him tightly. She smiled when she felt Thor's arms around her body. "I know."

oOo

Thor looked at each face sitting around the table. He mostly saw nervousness, but he couldn't blame anyone. It had been two days since Loki had shot Tony and ever since, there had been no sign of him. Thor knew exactly what his brother was doing, but that only made it more difficult to sit around doing nothing. Loki was biding his time, growing strong again and waiting for his magic to return. Thor wished he could go out there and search for his brother, but that would be pointless.

Loki will be found when he wants to be found.

"And what about Erik?" Tony asked. Even though he had been only just been shot, he wasn't going to stay in a hospital or in his mansion to rest. Tony wasn't the kind of man to pass on any action. He was currently wearing a shoulder brace, however, which restricted his movements. He wouldn't be able to get into his iron suit for the next few days.

Thor forced himself to focus back on the conversation. It seemed he had missed a few questions and answers and since Loki was the subject of this meeting, he better keep his mind focused.

"He is safe as well," Coulson answered, "but there is only so much we can do. We don't even know if Loki is going to attack or not. It has been two days now. Shouldn't his magic have been back by now?"

"Yes," Thor answered, "but Loki isn't someone that rushes into battle, not even when he is not thinking quite straight. He'll take his time to forge a plan and only then will he come out of hiding."

"Or maybe he's had some time to think and he realizes he doesn't want to fight us after all," Tony countered.

Thor could only throw Tony a questioning look. That was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

"It is not a matter of if," Steve said, equally finding Tony's comment ludicrous, "it's a matter of when. I thought you of all people would understand that."

"You know," Tony said, leaning back in his chair, "these last few days I have burned both my arms and been shot all because of that little sneaky-"

"Watch your tongue," Thor snarled. He understood that Tony felt angry, but he was still a man that had watched Loki being tortured. Every single person at this table had known about the torture and even though Thor had forgiven them, that didn't meant he had forgotten. He couldn't help but wonder where they would be now if SHIELD had let Loki go all those days ago. They certainly wouldn't be waiting for a great attack.

"Anyway," Bruce said, drawing Thor's attention away from Tony, "if we are to expect an attack, we should prepare properly. First of all, you should call back Natasha and Clint. They might be master spies, but they won't find Loki for us. It would be better if they were here, by our side."

"I agree," Steve said.

Thor couldn't help but roll his eyes. He had told everyone that sending Hawkeye and the Black Widow out there to find his brother would be useless, but no one had listened. It was a waste of energy. "When Loki attacks, and he will, he will do it on more than one level."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked.

A loud crash sounded in the not so far distance and the ground shook beneath his feet. Thor was instantly standing up, his hammer in his hand. The other followed his example, but none moved to leave the room just yet. They had talked about this for so long now that it was actually strange for it to happen. This was without doubt Loki's doing.

"Let's go," Coulson said.

At those words, everyone jumped into action – Tony a bit slower than usual. When they left the conference room, they found people running around, dust and fire in the distance. The ground beneath them trembled still.

"Coulson!" A woman came rushing towards them and only when she was close enough did Thor recognize her as Maria Hill. Her hair was disheveled and a large bruise was already starting to form on the left side of her face. "There was an explosion and the whole building is threatening to collapse. We have to evacuate."

"That's it then," Tony said, his voice loud as the flames were drawing near and roaring as if they were alive, "Loki set his attack in motion."

The fire grew closer and wilder and only then did Thor realize; the fire _was_ alive. "We must go!" He shouted, knowing that there was little fighting to do against this form of magic. "Now!"

"No, we have to fight!" Steve protested. Another loud bang sounded in the distance. "Loki is somewhere around here so now is our best chance to stop him."

"You don't understand," Thor took Steve's arm and pulled him away from the fire. As he began to run down the hall, everyone followed him though they clearly didn't like running away from the battle. Thor didn't care. He refused to watch his friends die and that would surely happen if they stayed here much longer. "That is not normal fire. It is a dark form of magic which will consume us and sentence us to a slow and painful death."

The building rumbled again and Thor didn't look back as he searched for an exit. It was Coulson and Maria who began to lead the group and after a few long minutes, they finally found themselves standing on a patch of green grass underneath a black night sky. Smoke twirled upwards, making it difficult to breathe, but the raging fire illuminated the entire site brilliantly. It was the most terrifying and impressive view at the same time.

Then Thor began to hear the screams of all the people still trapped inside. It was soft at first, but then the screams grew louder and louder until he was unable to look at the building anymore. It trembled again and with a final blow, it collapsed. Even then did the fire continue to consume everything and everyone. Thor and the others could only praise themselves lucky that they had gotten out in time.

A heavy weight fell on his heart. This was without doubt Loki's doing. And this…_this_ was only the beginning.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I know I am taking Loki to dark places, but I can't help but enjoy it when he is psychotic with a touch of drama. I loved writing this chapter so I hope you guys will love reading it. It's a big chapter again so please let me know what you think of it!**

**Here it goes…**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 15**

These past few days had been strange for Odin. He had always been certain that he was a good king, a just and righteous one. For so long he had thought that being a good king also meant he was a good father. After all, weren't his subjects, his people, not like his children? He kept them safe, made sure they were happy. Somehow he thought that being a father to the Asgardians was the same as being a father to Thor and Loki.

He had been so wrong.

Now more than ever did Odin realize that he had made an unforgivable mistake. He thought back to when he had first found a blue skinned baby in that temple back on Jotunheim. Had he made a mistake there? Should he have left Loki? No, bringing that small child into his family had been the right choice. Had he not spent enough time with his sons then? Had he not told them he loved them enough times? He could remember multiple occasions where he had shown affection towards Thor, but he could count the times he had told Loki he loved him on both his hands.

It had not been easy raising a boy so extraordinary like Loki. He had always been too intelligent for his age, he had always been more powerful than was good for him. At first Odin had been incredibly proud when Loki came to show him more magic and spells that he learned from books. But as time moved forward, Odin began to see the dangers. Perhaps he had unknowingly distanced himself from his youngest son, perhaps he had unknowingly hurt Loki more than he could imagine.

Those thoughts troubled the old king. He kept running different scenarios in his head where he did something different, but each time he was confronted by the bitter reality. He had disowned his boy who was now on Midgard fighting his brother. Odin knew he could not go to earth himself since that would only make matters worse, but he could try and influence the war somehow. _Somehow_.

"Odin?"

He had not heard that voice in days and the softness made him smile weakly. He turned away from the city-view and allowed his eyes to search Frigga's face for any emotions. She showed sadness, something that had etched deep lines in her beautiful face, and anger. There lay love as well, however, and Odin hoped that perhaps she could forgive him for his mistakes.

"My dear," he sighed, "it is good to see you again."

Frigga inclined her head. "I couldn't stay in my chambers any longer, not while our sons are fighting each other. I have seen Thor the other day and I thought there was hope, but now… Has Heimdall reported anything new?"

"I'm afraid not," Odin said, walking closer towards his wife. He waited for a reaction, but when she said nothing, he closed the distance between them and hugged her tightly. Frigga had always been a good mother, one that thought of her boys first. Odin couldn't help but wonder what would have become of Thor and Loki if she had raised them alone. "I fear the worst."

"As do I," she replied softly, burying her face in Odin's shoulder, "my heart is breaking, Odin, I cannot stand it anymore. Can you not do anything for them?"

"I am afraid not," Odin told her with regret in his heart, "and anything I will do, will only make matters worse. Loki does not care for me, nor does he care for anything I do."

"He does," Frigga countered, "he simply refuses to. Whatever happens next, promise me that you'll remember that he is our son. It is you that brought him into our home, you that stubbornly believed he could be part of our family."

Odin remembered that day as if it were yesterday.

Frigga had not been pleased when Odin had returned from battle with a small baby. At first she thought he had been with another woman and that the boy was his illegitimate child, but she could not have been more wrong. When Odin had told her who the boy was, she had still been reluctant to accept the child since she could only think of Thor's safety. Thor had only been two years old at the time, too young to understand or even question the sudden arrival of a new baby, but he had instantly accepted him as his brother. Frigga had needed more time, but as the weeks had gone by, she had bonded with him and grown to love him as her second son.

"What do you want me to do?" Odin asked. Frigga was his queen and he loved her dearly. The people loved her dearly because she was wise and strong. Perhaps now was the time to listen to her instead of ignoring her advice like he had done before. The consequences of that left a bitter aftertaste in Odin's mouth.

"I wish I had the right answer," Frigga said, "but there is no right answer in this case. We are not a normal family, we will never again be a normal family, but I do believe that we can be a good family if we just stick together until the very end."

"Until the very end," Odin echoed her words. A dreadful image played before his eyes, one he did not want to see or live. "Do you trust me?"

Frigga seemed taken aback by the sudden question, but she nodded her head.

"I must go for a few hours," Odin said, "but I will return."

"You can't go," Frigga said, "there will be no one to sit on the throne. Asgard would be defenseless."

"Asgard will never be defenseless, not as long as you are here." Odin smiled and watched Frigga's eyes lighten up. He placed a quick kiss on her lips and embraced her again. Leaving Asgard was not what he wanted, but he had no other choice. He had to face what he had done, he had to try and make things better again.

oOo

Loki watched as the fire consumed the SHIELD base. He could hear rubble falling down, he could hear people screaming and crying as they ran for their lives, but Loki felt nothing. He didn't feel sorry, but he didn't marvel at the sight either. It was just there like some distant image from a book. His eyes were suddenly drawn to a small group of retreating people on his left and Loki could easily recognize Thor.

It was no surprise that he and the other Avengers had gotten out of the crumbling building. After all, the objective wasn't to kill them. Not yet anyway. First Loki had wanted to burn this building down, he wanted to destroy the place that had tried to destroy him. Loki stood far away from Thor, but he could see how heartbroken his brother felt about what was happening. He didn't know how many people were still trapped inside that building or how many had already died, but Loki knew it would be a great number. _Good_, he thought, _that will teach them_.

He turned his back to the flames and walked away, the cries and different voices fading into the background. Loki felt his heartbeat slow down, he felt the adrenaline disappear from his veins. He could focus better again and Loki knew he was ready for part two of his vengeance. It would be much more complicated than setting a building on fire, but it would also be far more rewarding.

With a smile on his lips, he walked away knowing that the best part was yet to come. He was also beginning to enjoy himself a bit.

oOo

Stark Tower was a mighty building in the middle of New York City and Loki had always been somehow mesmerized by it. The people looked at it as if it was a warming light that protected them, that housed their favorite team of so called superheroes and Loki had always wanted to rip that away from them. This time, he had different plans for the building.

It was strange to stand in the middle of the street with hundreds of mortals walking by. They didn't give him a second glance, but then again, Loki wasn't wearing his battle outfit that screamed villain. Instead he wore casual black pants, a green shirt and black leather jacket. This was unlike anything he had ever worn, but he needed to remain unsuspicious. At least for now. He walked towards the entrance of the building and waited another minute. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but as he glanced into the lobby, he learned that there weren't that many people present. It was already late and people were starting to head back home.

That also meant there was less security and the guards were at the end of their shifts which meant they were tired. Normally, Loki wouldn't care about that, but this time he was attacking solo. He didn't have an army to back him up or an ally he could count on. He briefly thought about giving Doom a call, but then he remembered he wasn't on speaking terms with him. Doom had betrayed him, together with Adler, and Loki wasn't the forgiving type.

Finally, Loki entered the building and he found that a few people turned to look at him. Some frowned, recognizing him, but they seemed unsure and Loki smiled. The chaos would be immense once he began his attack. As he remained standing still – completely still, but his eyes falling on every moving object in his surroundings – the people around him were starting to become agitated. Eventually, one of the guards approached and Loki didn't hesitate to conjure his scepter into his hand. Not a second later did he fire at the guard, instantly killing him.

People began to scream and Loki marveled at the sound of it. His clothes changed shape and Loki already felt better knowing that two seconds from now, he would be wearing his battle outfit. He fired his scepter again and again and again. When finally there was no one alive around anymore, Loki took a moment to soak in the moment. He didn't count the bodies around him, though there had to be more than fifteen.

He stepped towards the elevator and, as if everything was completely normal, he waited for it to come. When the doors slid open, it revealed four more men and Loki fired his scepter exactly four times. He stepped over the bodies and pressed the top button. It only took thirty seconds to reach the top floor and when the doors slid open again, Loki almost expected a counter attack. The penthouse was empty, however, and Loki almost felt disappointed.

The computer stood on a glass desk and when Loki sat himself down, he didn't want to lose any more time. He began typing away on the thing, using partial computer language with a hint of magic woven into it. It only took him five minutes to break into the top secret files, the ones he had tried hacking before at the Stark Mansion. It was almost disappointing to see that most of the information wasn't that top secret.

Finding what he had been looking for was laughably easy and Loki smiled when he began typing away on the keyboard again. He had never thought he would resort to this type of warfare, but it was certainly a fun way. When he walked away from the desk again, he noticed that the elevator had gone down again and Loki wasn't foolish enough to think that no one was planning to fight him. After all, he had only killed five or so guards and there had to be more around.

He was proven right the moment the elevator came up again and the doors opened. It revealed seven or more guards, all heavily armed. They fired as soon as they saw Loki, but they were no match for him. With the use of his scepter and some additional magic, he easily defeated them.

Only five minutes later did he walk out of Stark Tower, feeling accomplished and a bit proud. If he were to fight the Avengers, he might as well have fun doing so.

oOo

Pepper had never sounded so distressed before and Tony could feel every fiber in his body screaming at him to run towards her. He wanted to comfort her, hold her, but he was miles away from her. Not knowing what had happened exactly – Pepper's voice had been shaky and overcome with sobs – he drove towards her. He knew he was currently being a danger on the road, but neither him nor the others in his car cared. By the time he reached the center of New York, the sun was setting over the horizon, casting everything in an orange light.

At first he thought his building had been set on fire as well, but that was not the case. He wanted to feel relief, but he knew that something dreadful had happened none the less. There were at least fifteen police cars parked outside Stark Tower, along with three fire trucks and six ambulances. More sirens sounded in the distance. Tony instantly jumped from the car, knowing that Thor, Bruce and Steve were right behind him. Natasha and Clint stayed on the street to see if they could help somehow.

When Tony entered the lobby, he felt his heart skip a beat. His hands became fists, yet he didn't feel angry. He was only shocked and he was unable to breathe for a moment. He was currently gazing at the bodies of different men and woman, all of them covered by a white sheet. He couldn't see their faces, he couldn't recognize anyone, but he knew he would know each and every one. These people worked for him and Tony might be known as an arrogant person, but he did take pride in the fact that he could greet his personnel by their names.

He knew Pepper was alive since he had heard her voice on the phone before, but he still feared for her. What if she had been hurt? What if Loki had hurt her? Tony wouldn't forgive the God of Mischief then and he didn't even know if he would be able to forgive the God of Thunder. Was this not somehow connected to him and his bloody royal family? Tony threw Thor a quick glance and he could see that he was as shocked with what he saw as he was.

Tony made his way through the lobby, ignoring the police officers trying to stop him, and made his way to the top floor. He knew Pepper would be there and he was proven right. The moment he stepped out of the elevator, he saw her and rushed forward. Pepper all but fell into his arms and Tony had never been more pleased to see her. She was fine, she was completely fine with not a scratch on her.

"Are you okay?" He asked none the less. He placed both his hands on Pepper's face and forced her to look at him. Her eyes were filled with tears and were bloodshot.

"I'm fine," she breathed, "physically at least. I got a call from the police and they explained what happened, but I never expected to find _this_."

"I'm sorry, Pepper," Tony sighed, embracing her again. When he released her, he turned around and looked at Thor and the others without letting go of Pepper's hand. "I get that Loki is out of control, that he wants revenge for the horrible things that we did to him, but this…_this_ too much."

"My brother-"

"He will pay," Tony said, taken aback by the coldness in his voice. He inhaled sharply and looked back at Pepper. She didn't smile when they made eye contact. Her face remained torn by grief and shock. "How many?" He asked her.

"Thirty-one so far," Pepper answered, "there are two more fighting for their lives in the hospital. I don't have any names yet. The police wouldn't let me identify the victims."

"You've seen enough," Tony told her, "I'll get Happy to bring you home."

"That's all right," Pepper said, shaking her head, "it's not like I'll manage to get some sleep after this. I'd rather stay with you."

"You have to go underground," Steve said, speaking for the first time. When Tony turned around to look at him, he noticed that the Captain looked just a shade paler. It wasn't that he hadn't seen so many dead before, but it was the fact that this had happened so close to Tony. It was the fact that Loki had _slaughtered_ them. What he said was right, however. It would be best if Pepper was put under heavy surveillance.

"Wait," Tony said, realizing something horrible, "did Loki only kill here?"

Pepper frowned, not entirely understanding Tony's question, but she nodded. "Yes, why?"

"Don't get me wrong, but thirty-one isn't that big of a number when you know that there had to be at least two hundred people in this building. He burned down a SHIELD facility, but he comes to my tower and randomly kills people? That's not his style, that's not chaotic enough."

"It's chaotic enough for me," Pepper said.

Tony let go of her hand, albeit unwillingly, and moved to sit before his computer. As soon as he entered his system, he knew someone had tinkered with it. _Loki_ had tinkered with it, just like he had tried to do so before in his mansion. After clicking around for a minute, he found the shocking truth.

"Tony, what's wrong?" Bruce asked.

"He hacked into my computer," Tony said nearly breathlessly.

Steve took a step forward. "What does that mean?"

"Everything is on here," Tony said, now staring at the screen as he realized what that meant exactly, "from files about Stark Industries and to sensitive SHIELD information. I never thought somone could break my code."

"But he did," Bruce said, knowing what Tony was trying to tell them, "Loki got to the files. Which files exactly?"

"_All_ the files," Tony slowly turned his gaze to Pepper, then to Steve and Bruce and eventually to Thor, "Jane's location was in here. Loki knows where she is."

For the longest moment, Thor didn't move. He only stared back at Tony until finally, something seemed to snap within the God of Thunder. He didn't speak a word, but tightened his grip on Mjolnir and stepped towards the window. He smashed it without asking – Pepper quickly darted away from the falling glass – and stretched out his arm ready to take flight.

"Wait!" Steve shouted, drawing back Thor's attention. Thor only turned his head. "We'll come with you. If Loki is after Jane, then you'll need all the back-up you can get."

"There is no time," Thor roared. A second later, the God of Thunder had taken off, leaving the rest behind.

Tony felt oddly guilty. If something happened to Jane, he would never be able to forgive himself. How completely stupid of him to think that none could crack his code! He stood from his seat and stepped before Steve and Bruce. "What are we waiting for? Let's give Thor some back-up. I'll get my suit."

They quickly jumped into action.

oOo

Odin had never liked this realm. It was barren, cold and deserted. Yet he needed to be here, though he would try and make this visit as short as possible.

"Well, hello there."

The voice that spoke was too kind, too calculated. Odin turned to where the sound was coming from and eventually found its origin. She was precisely as he remembered. One side of her face was perfect with porcelain skin and a radiant, lively green eye. The other side was rotten.

"Hello, Hela."


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: Thank you so much for the reviews! Please keep them coming because they are the reason why I am trying to update regularly. There was a question about Tony/Loki in this story, but I'm afraid to say that there is absolutely no slash in this story. It's all pretty canon. Enjoy reading the chapter!**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 16**

Loki found the house rather easily. He had thought that Thor would demand more guards for his beloved Jane, but apparently, he thought seven would suffice. Loki wasn't sure if he should feel insulted or just lucky. Then again, he wasn't supposed to find this location in the first place, but here he was and Loki smirked at the thought of having some one on one time with Jane. Now that he thought about it, he realized he never actually met the woman before.

He hoped she was as gracious and strong and Thor claimed she was. It would be all the more fun to break her down, piece by piece. Thor had never directly told Loki this, but Thor was a fishwife when it came to Jane. He simply could not stop jabbering about her.

Loki walked towards the front door of the isolated house and knocked three times. There was a long pause and nothing seemed to happen until a young man, perhaps twenty-five years old, opened the door. A gun was strapped to his thigh and at least four knives were hidden on the rest of his body. A second gun was currently hidden behind the boy's back and Loki couldn't help but chuckle. Did they honestly think that a _gun_ would stop him?

"So young," Loki sighed. He grabbed the boy's neck and snapped it. The boy - a man really, but Loki refused to acknowledge that – fell down like a ragged doll. Two more guards rushed forward, apparently coming out of nowhere and they opened fire, but Loki easily cast a spell to protect himself from those idiots. With the power of his scepter, he blasted them apart. Three down, four to go.

Loki knew exactly where he would find those four so he walked to the back of the house. He had been right. The woman was pretty for a mortal and Loki could see what had first drawn Thor towards her. There was something…very earthly about her. When their gazes connected, he was surprised to find that she did not look at him with fear. Her brown eyes stood wide with defiance, a look he had not expected.

The four guards around her immediately opened fire and the woman darted back. She covered her head as the noise around her was ear deafening, but Loki merely inhaled in annoyance. Four more blasts and silence filled the room. Jane slowly straightened her back and dropped her arm. She turned to look at Loki again, but this time, there was a sharpness to her eyes. Loki could not read her, nor could he begin to guess what she was currently thinking. He was starting to dislike her.

"Nice to finally meet you, Jane Foster," he said evenly, stepping forward while adjusting his hold on his scepter. It was ever so slightly pointed at her so if she as much made the slightest wrong move, Loki would blast her apart as well. He didn't want to – at least not before Thor showed up – but he would if he had no other choice.

"Loki," Jane replied. Her eyes moved across the four bodies around her and sadness overcame her. She moved a strand of hair behind her ear and then looked back into Loki's green eyes. She wanted to say something, that much was clear, but she quickly closed her mouth.

"These men," Loki said when he knew Jane wasn't about to say something, "they died for you."

Jane inhaled deeply, steadying herself. "They died because of you," she said, taking a step back as Loki kept on closing in on her. She was nearly at the door, but Loki knew she had no chance at escaping. "What do you want from me?"

"You are a strange creature, aren't you?" Loki narrowed his eyes, trying to discover more about this woman, but he learned that she was very closed off. Perhaps it was something Thor had taught her, but Loki somehow doubted that. This woman was careful, calculated. _Intelligent_. It was not something Loki had expected from this mortal. "How much are you longing for my brother now?"

"He'll come," she said as if stating a fact. Again, there lay defiance in her voice and Loki wished she would stop acting so strong and confident. "He'll make a stop to this madness."

"Madness?" Loki chuckled darkly when he noticed the slightest tremble to Jane's hands. She did feel uncomfortable and scared, but she was just better at hiding it. "This is not madness. I know perfectly well what I am doing. This is all part of a plan. Thor will come, indeed, and when he does, I will make sure that I rip you away from him."

Jane didn't look away from his eyes. "So you're going to kill me?"

"That is the plan, yes," Loki simply said.

oOo

Tony threw open the closet and took a second to gaze at his iron suit. He knew that as soon as he had it on, he would feel stronger. He would feel like Iron Man and not Tony Stark. With little time to lose and knowing that Steve and Bruce were waiting on him, he quickly put it on. When he turned around – the front of his helmet falling into place, he found his two friends currently talking to a still very distressed Pepper. They were probably trying to convince her to go home, but Tony knew her well enough to know that she would refuse.

Putting on the suit only took about five seconds. It felt like putting on a second skin. His shoulder protested at every movement he made – due to being shot only a few days ago – but he stubbornly kept on going. He refused to sit out this fight. Different systems came online and Tony smiled when he heard JARVIS' voice.

"Welcome back, sir," the computer said with his usual collected voice, "I have installed the updates as you requested."

Tony frowned deeply (not that anyone could see him right now). He had asked no such thing as updates and Tony instantly thought of Loki hacking into his computer. His eyes fell on the computer sitting innocently on his desk. Loki had hacked into his system, stealing all kind of sensitive information about SHIELD and there was no telling what he had done to the iron suit. Tony only knew one thing; there was enough firepower on him to destroy this building.

"Uh, guys," Tony said, asking Steve, Bruce and Pepper's attention back, "you might want to evacuate the building." They only frowned, not understanding where this come from and Tony didn't know if he had time to explain. "_Now_."

Pepper didn't hesitate and headed for the elevator as she started to call someone, but Steve and Bruce moved closer towards Tony. If the suit decided to fire every weapon it had, then the blast might not kill Bruce who would only hulk out, but it could possibly kill Steve. Tony refused to be responsible for Steve's death.

"You have to get out," Tony said, his voice hard. He tried gaining access to his weapon's system, but it was completely useless. Tony hated to admit it, but Loki had some serious hacker-skills. A red light suddenly started flickering near the left of his vision, warning Tony that there was some kind of overload. "I think I am about to fire everything I got."

"Does anyone have any idea what he is talking about?" Steve asked randomly. He was still closing in on Tony who quickly took a few steps back. Not that it would be any use. If he fired now, Steve would be dead. "Tony," Steve said, "talk to us."

"Loki hacked my system," Tony hissed, refusing to believe that Loki had screwed him over _again_, "he made JARVIS install some updates and I have no idea what that means." He tried entering his weapon's system again, but the words 'no access' appeared across his screen again. "Remind me to build better firewalls when all this is done."

"We're not leaving you," Bruce said, apparently understanding what Tony was telling them.

As Tony had predicted, his weapons fired up. It was only a matter of seconds before Tony became the equivalent of a bomb. "Seriously guys? I admire the whole 'leave no man behind', but I will be fine. The suit will protect me. Loki constructed this so that I would take out _you guys_."

"Are you sure?" Steve asked.

"One hundred percent," Tony informed him, "now _go_!"

Steve and Bruce did not wait for the elevator to come back up, but instead chose the stairs. It was not a second too late. As soon as they disappeared from Tony's sight, all the weapons installed on his suit fired. There was an ear deafening bang that echoed in Tony's head and fire erupted everywhere. Tony was blasted back and hit his back against a wall. A high pitched tone was the only thing he could hear though he was certain the fire was causing a lot of noise.

Tony wasn't sure he wanted to know what kind of damage had been caused by the attack.

It took him a few seconds to gather his thoughts, but he finally managed to stand up again. His shoulder felt like it was pierced by another bullet and Tony knew he had ripped his stitches. Pepper would not be amused, but at least she was all right. _He_ was all right and he sincerely hoped Steve and Bruce had managed to get to safety in time. When his systems came back online after a minute or so, Tony received a better image of his office. Or should he say; what remained of his office. Everything was on fire and Tony couldn't believe that his own suit had caused this. He wanted to rip Loki's head off for this!

JARVIS' voice sounded too loud near his right ear. "Temperatures are rising rapidly, sir. I recommend that you remove yourself from this area."

Tony cursed under his breath. At least his suit and JARVIS seemed to act normal. He ran a quick diagnostic and JARVIS confirmed that there were no more nasty Easter eggs hidden. Then again, Tony had used all his firepower so it wasn't like he could cause any more damage.

Carefully, he made his way through the fire and down the stairs. It seemed that the blast had shattered every window of Stark Tower since Tony kept on stepping on the shards. Long tears ran down different walls and he knew that the building was not safe for anyone. He could only hope that it didn't collapse while people were still inside.

By the time he met with Steve and Bruce outside on the street, he realized exactly what Loki had been planning.

"Thank god, you are all right!" Pepper shrieked, storming into Tony's metal arms.

Tony pushed back him the front part of his helmet and gazed upwards. The top floor of his building was on fire, the red-hot flames coming out of the window. He knew Pepper and Steve would never have been able to survive that blast. Even if Bruce had been caught in it and even if he had turned into the Hulk, he too would have been burned severely. Tony only tightened his grip on Pepper, though not too tight since he didn't want to crush her.

"It was a horrible sight, Tony," Pepper sighed, gazing upwards as well, "for a moment I thought I had lost you."

"Like I said," Tony explained, turning to look at Pepper, "the suit protected me. This was his plan all along, however." Tony inhaled sharply, detesting the idea that they had played right into Loki's hands "He knew Thor would take off as soon as he learned about Jane and then he needed a distraction to keep the rest of us back here."

"That doesn't bode well for Thor, does it," Pepper said carefully.

"I'm not worried about Thor," Tony replied, turning to look at Steve and Bruce, "I'm worried about Jane."

"Then let's aid them," Steve proposed, tightening the grip on his shield, "if what you say is true, then we have no time to lose. Maybe we can still stop the worst from happening. Maybe we can help Thor save Jane."

"I don't understand why Loki keeps targeting me, though," Tony said, feeling angry at Loki for causing him this much trouble and damage, "I burned my arms because he shoved that stupid device onto the floor, then he shoots me in the shoulder while I have been nothing but a good host to him and now he tampered with my suit and destroyed the top floor of my building! What has he done to you two?"

Steve and Bruce exchanged quick, awkward glances. Loki had done nothing to them.

"Oh, never mind," Tony snapped.

They took off then, hoping they wouldn't be too late for whatever Loki had planned next.

oOo

Loki had sensed him coming. Thor's approach was announced by loud thunder in the distance and Loki knew that this was it. The clash with Thor would decide it all and he wanted to play this carefully. Rushing into battle was foolish so he quickly moved towards Jane and pressed the sharp edge of his scepter against her throat. His movements frightened the mortal woman who suddenly tensed at Loki's near presence, but Loki ignored her protests.

Jane tried to wriggle her way out of Loki's grasp, but it was pointless. Loki was a god and she was just a human. She stood no chance against him and Loki knew this.

"Here he comes," Loki said, more to himself than to Jane.

"Just let me go," Jane said, her voice surprisingly strong though the tremor of her body betrayed how terrified she truly felt. "If you let me go, then Thor won't harm you. He cares for you, he told me he misses you as his brother."

"Oh, do shut up," Loki snapped. He heard Jane swallow heavily.

The thunder grew closer and Loki knew it was now a matter of seconds before his brother would stand before him with a scowl all over his face. Loki hoped the sight of a captured Jane would distress Thor, that seeing her throat against the sharp edge of his scepter would have him reeling with anger. An angry Thor always acted on impulses and Loki would easily be able to defeat him if that were the case.

Lighting flashed wildly around the house, briefly illuminating every corner of the room they were standing in. It was almost haunting to witness it all, but Loki kept himself focused. He was here with a purpose; defeating Thor.

Only a few seconds later did the door to the room open and Loki instantly straightened his back. His grip on Jane tightened and he pressed the sharp edge of his scepter closer to the artery in her neck. One wrong movement and she would bleed to death. The opened door revealed, as Loki had hoped, an angry Thor who scowled when watching Jane's life-threatening situation.

"Welcome," Loki mocked, a smirk spreading across his face like a fire.

"Brother," Thor sneered, reeling with anger, "you will end this madness and you will release Jane."

Loki cocked his head a little to his left. He did not loosen his grip on Jane since she was the only leverage he had left. Letting her go would instantly result into a fight with Thor and Loki wasn't sure if he was ready for that. He needed to antagonize Thor a bit more. It would not only make the situation more fun, but it would also make Thor a weaker opponent.

"_Or what_?" Loki questioned. "Tell me, Thor, what will you do to me for my crimes? Lock me away? Put me in a cell and throw away the key? Hand me over to SHIELD? That ended brilliantly last time."

His words somehow touched Thor whose entire body language changed and Loki detested it. He didn't want pity, nor did he want sorrow. He much preferred the angry Thor over this one. Thor's grip on Mjolnir loosened and his shoulders dropped a few inches.

"Let Jane go," Thor spoke softly, "she has nothing to do with this. Let her go and we can talk. Properly."

"Haven't my previous actions shown that I do not want to talk?" Loki was confused by Thor's words but he made sure Thor didn't notice this. "I have nothing for words at this moment in time. The actions count. I want to punish every single soul that has wronged me."

"Jane has not wronged you."

"But you have!" The words had left him before he realized. Loki quickly tightened his grip on the mortal woman and he could feel her tense beneath his hands. She made a soft, but high noise when he cut her skin. A few drops of blood trickled down her skin. "Taking her away from you will hurt you more than anything else," he spat, "it will make you understand that these mortals are nothing to us. They wither and die so easily. They'll think twice about capturing me now."

"Loki," Thor said in a strange, quiet voice, "I beg of you."

"What is this?" Loki disliked the situation more and more. He had tried to antagonize his brother, but with every move he made, Thor seemed to make the exact opposite move. There was no logic and Loki could not follow his brother's train of thoughts. "Since when has the mighty Thor been reduced to _begging_?"

"Can you not understand?" Thor asked, looking directly into Loki's eyes. "She is a woman I love. Can you not understand that?"

Loki narrowed his eyes. He did not like this. At. All. What was that idiot trying to proof? That he had emotions? That he cared for someone? Of course that was the case, but that had absolutely nothing to do with what was going on here. Did Thor think he could address his human side in all this?

"I still believe in you, brother," Thor continued when Loki remained silent, "I believe that in the end, you will do what is right, because you are not evil. I understand why you are doing this, I should have stopped SHIELD much sooner and I apologize for being oblivious to it all."

Loki remembered speaking with Stark about this. He had not believed a word the Iron Man had said, but now Loki was starting to doubt it. Perhaps Thor had not known about the torture in the beginning. Perhaps Thor had gone to Asgard in his honor. If that was the case, then what was the point of this fight? Maybe that was the entire point of it; there was no reason. Loki simply enjoyed the idea of being at war with the Avengers, in particular with Thor.

"None of it matters," Loki said, a faint echo of madness in his voice, "it has all happened, the mortals are responsible, but you are still protecting them. You're a fool, Thor."

In response, Thor lowered his hammer until it rested on the floor. Loki hadn't the fainted clue what Thor's plan was now, but seeing him unarmed made Loki's hands itch to attack him. Thor was practically giving his head on a plate.

"Let's end this," Thor said, "let's forget these past few days. Come home with me."

Loki shook his head. "I do not have a home."

"You're mistaken," Thor countered, "you shall always have a home. _Asgard_."

"Asgard can never be my home, Thor," Loki said, surprised to hear so much venom in his own voice, "it has never been my home. My entire life, I have been an intruder, an imposter at best. I make myself no illusions, so neither should you."

This time, it was Thor that shook his head. A slight frown creased his brow. "If only you knew," he said, "mother misses you, as does father. They are both worried for you. I have promised them that I will look out for you, so I will not fight you, brother."

"Stop this," Loki said, trying not to buy into anything Thor was saying. He knew exactly what Thor was trying to do, but Loki had no answer to it. "S_top this!_"

"Come home, please."

"No!" Loki tossed Jane aside, hearing her body hit a wall near his left. He wasn't sure whether she was still conscious or not, perhaps she had fallen badly and broken her neck, but he didn't care. He only had eyes for his damned brother. With all the force he possessed, he ran forward. His scepter was raised high, ready to strike down.

And so, the fight had begun.

**AN: Sorry for the cliffhanger. It wasn't easy writing this. I wanted Loki to be confused and unstable. I wanted him in control of the situation until Thor slowly took it away from him. In the end, I wanted Thor to be in control to the point where Loki is so angry with it all that he just attacks because that is the only thing he _can_ still control. I hope that makes sense somehow…**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: Thank you so much for the reviews. I know I have pushed Loki into the deepest, darkest pits of his soul, but in the end, he is a villain and he does villainous things. Sending him on a crazy rampage was a risk, but it seemed IC somehow. I hope that makes sense (if only just a little). I fear I might have gone into the overly-dramatic in this chapter, though… I just wanted to write some good action and then this happened. Please let me know what you think of it :)  
><strong>

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 17**

Loki brought down his scepter, not really knowing what damage he wanted to cause. He wanted to hurt Thor, that much he knew, but how far was he willing to go? Killing all those people had not been easy either, but it somehow made sense. Had they not deserved it? Besides, Loki did not care about them, but what did that tell him about Thor? Did he care about Thor?

They had grown up together, as brothers. For the longest time, they had each other's back. The Warriors Three and the Lady Sif might have been Thor's best friends, but when it came to it, Thor looked to his brother for advice. That was all until the horrible truth had surfaced of Loki's true inheritance.

So perhaps Loki did still care for Thor, but a lot had happened these past few months and Loki couldn't stop himself. Perhaps he wasn't particularly angry with Thor, perhaps he was just angry. A bit like the Hulk.

The scepter was met with Mjolnir. Thor had swiftly picked up the hammer and now met Loki with defiance. That was to be expected, though. Of course Thor would defend himself. He was still a warrior, one that not simply lay down his head to die. This was what Loki had wanted, however, a proper fight.

The power with which the scepter and hammer met each other sent both brothers staggering back. They quickly regained their balance, however, and turned to face each other again. Thor growled and Loki wasn't sure whether he was angry or simply annoyed. You could never really tell the difference with him.

Thor ran forward, Mjolnir raised and ready to hit Loki on the shoulder. It was the first mistake the God of Thunder made. It told Loki that Thor did not want to kill him. Otherwise he would have gone for the head or the heart. Hitting his shoulder could possibly break it, but that was about all it would do. As Thor raised his hands, Mjolnir tight in his grasp, Loki found a weak spot. Thor's chest was completely vulnerable and Loki fired energy from his scepter.

As expected, the energy hit Thor in the area where his heart was located which sent him flying back. Thor grunted painfully, currently supporting himself on both knees and hands. He was gasping for breath, but at the same time, he reached for his hammer which he had dropped after the blast. Loki did not want Thor armed again, so he fired more energy.

This time, the blue power hit Thor in his side, knocking him off of his hands and knees. He rolled onto his back, but at the same time, he managed to retake Mjolnir. Angrily, he shouted, "Enough!" He threw the hammer towards Loki who couldn't dodge away in time. The hammer sped towards him and ultimately knocked him down. It knocked all air from his lunges.

In the corner of his eye, Loki watched how Thor stood up. He was a magnificent man, with broad shoulders and an impressive chest. Muscles decorated every inch of his body and the mighty hammer was a fit companion. Loki was nothing like Thor. Once in his life, many years ago, he had wished to look more like him. He had wished for muscles, strength and courage, but in the end, Loki had learned to accept himself. He was lean, quick on his feet and a master in magic. That was something Thor would never be.

Only now did he realize that he no longer held his scepter. His eyes quickly searched for the weapon and found it a few feet away from him. It wasn't that Loki actually needed it, but it did help him channel energy and magic better. It could be best described as a conductor. A bit like Mjolnir channeling thunder and lightning.

Loki darted towards the scepter and swiftly picked it up. The moment his hand touched the material, he felt its power connect with his. Without hesitating, he spun around and raised the scepter, ready to fire another blast at Thor.

Only…

Loki's eyes widened when he saw, too late, that Thor had stood directly behind him. The sharp edge of the scepter had buried itself deep within Thor's chest. Small drops of warm, crimson blood appeared around his chest and on the scepter until a few seconds later, more blood began to flow down until it reached Loki's hand.

Thor looked shocked, both his eyes wide and his lips parted as if he wanted to say something. Loki didn't see any pain on his brother's face, but he knew that pain was the only thing Thor was currently experiencing. When Loki actually felt the blood of his brother on his hands, he quickly retracted the scepter and watched how Thor fell to his knees.

As if the scepter had suddenly become a vile instrument, Loki tossed it aside without a second thought. It clattered onto the ground, a shrill sound echoing through the room. Loki hurried towards Thor and placed both hands on his shoulders. This was not what he wanted. He had wanted a fight, not death.

"Will you stop now?" Thor asked, his voice rough. When he spoke, small drops of blood dripped down his lips and chin.

Loki could only gape at his brother. There was no anger in his voice, no anger in his eyes. Thor was _not_ angry. Loki didn't understand. This was a death sentence, but Thor only looked at him with a faint smile curving his lips upwards. He almost looked…pleased.

"Will you stop?" He repeated.

"Thor," Loki breathed, feeling how Thor began to lean into him. He was losing his strength and Loki could not support him any longer. Thor was too heavy. Slowly, Loki lowered him to the ground, but made sure that he did not let go of him. Why had Thor been so idiotic? Why had he chosen to approach him like that? "_Brother_," he sighed.

Thor's faint smile turned into a warm, broad one. His blue eyes shone for one more moment and then all life disappeared from his body. Loki could feel Thor go limp underneath his touch. It was the strangest sensation Loki had ever felt. He couldn't believe Thor had died. The God of Thunder had_ died_ by his hand.

This was not how it was supposed to go!

A wall trembled nearby and Loki was obligated to shift his gaze away from Thor. The wall trembled again, more violently this time until it suddenly collapsed, creating a large could of dust. Loki turned aside his head, his eyes stinging with tears. Partially because of the idiot Thor and partially because of the dust.

Finally, the air cleared and Loki looked back to where a wall once had stood. Only now, there stood a team of superheroes and they looked shocked. Loki allowed his gaze to slide across each face, but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to see their emotions. Stark's face was masked, but Loki knew that underneath there lay a hidden face that would show shock and anger. The captain's mouth hung slightly open, but his grip on his shield tightened. Banner was present as well and his eyes revealed grief. Behind them stood Hawkeye and the Widow and they looked just about ready to kill him.

Loki didn't want to fight them, not anymore.

Having no other choice, Loki reached for the scepter again. Before the Avengers could attack him, he spun a quick spell around him that would take him away from this house, that would take him away from Midgard. The last thing Loki saw was his brother's pale skin and empty eyes.

oOo

When Pepper entered the living room, all eyes turned to her. Tony had never seen her so tired before. Her usually bright eyes looked dull and her skin had a peculiar grey color. When her gaze connected with his, she did not smile. Tony couldn't bring himself to smile either. A few seconds passed where she walked towards him and allowed herself to fall down on the couch. Tony quickly reached for her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"How is she?" It was Steve that first broke the silence.

Pepper's eyes landed on the Captain and she shrugged. It was very unlike her and Tony wished he could do something to make her feel better. "Doctors say she only has a concussion," she replied softly, "so she should praise herself lucky. She hasn't really spoken a word though."

Tony had been there when Maria Hill and Fury had explained to Jane what had happened. He could still remember how still she had turned. Hearing the news of Thor's death had been a shock to her. It had been a shock to everyone. Tony still couldn't shake loose the image of Thor lying motionless before Loki. He could not forget the terrible look in Loki's eyes either. It had almost seemed as if Loki had been as shocked by Thor's death as they had been.

Of course, Loki had quickly fled the scene and Tony wished he could have stopped the trickster. He had felt sorry for the guy before, but now… Now Thor was dead and _something_ had changed. He could see it on every face present in the room.

"We should get her something," Steve said, "just to let her know that we're there for her."

Tony almost snorted at the idea. Luckily, he had a sense of self-control. "What Jane needs is rest," he said instead, "some peace and quiet so that she can mourn."

"I'll kill that little rat," Clint sneered.

Tony couldn't blame him. Everyone in this room was currently hating Loki more than ever. Though Tony suspected that the trickster wasn't idiotic enough to show his face on earth again. Not for the next few months at least.

"It's just so horrible," Pepper sighed, turning to look at Tony, "I still can't believe he is gone."

"No one can," Natasha said.

"The people in the city are holding a wake," Bruce crossed his arms before his chest. He looked his usual calm self, but there was a layer hidden beneath his skin. Tony could see that the man was struggling as well. "We should go as well."

"That's a nice gesture," Pepper agreed.

"The people liked Thor," Tony said. He suddenly remembered the first time he met the man. It had not been a very friendly encounter, but later, Tony had discovered that underneath it all Thor was one big softy. A godlike softy with serious brother issues, but a softy none the less. Thor would kill him for just thinking this. All those thoughts pained Tony's heart.

"We all liked Thor," Steve added.

The silence that followed grew hard. Tony could feel Pepper tensing besides him. He could see her eyes becoming red as tears invaded them, but she refused to release them. Clint and Natasha exchanged a long meaningful glance and Steve only stared into the distance. It was strange to be here, all together, except for one. A little voice in the back of Tony's head said that this was to be expected. If you fight villains long enough, one was bound to take a hero down. No one had expected it to be so soon, however, or for it to be Thor.

Because he was Thor, God of Thunder, son of Odin. _Thor_. Yet he was gone and Tony still could not believe it.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews! It is thrilling that new people are still discovering this story even though it already counts a few chapters. Anyway, here it chapter 18! It was difficult to write this, but I enjoyed every bit. I hope you guys will enjoy reading it. I actually fear this story is coming to an end… Perhaps one more chapter after this…**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 18**

Loki didn't know how long he had been walking now. It wasn't a day, but he had begun a few hours after sunrise, and now the sun was starting to set again. The sky turned into a dark red color, reminding Loki of Thor's blood.

He wished he could use magic to find her, but she – as well as her house – had been shielded from him and the rest of the universe. The place he was heading to, was one of the safest places in this universe. It was certainly one of the safest places in the realm of Asgard.

Hiding it was actually a trick she had learned from him, so Loki continued to walk, his legs tired and his hands trembling slightly. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept properly, nor could he remember when he last ate. Having used his magic to teleport himself away from Midgard had demanded a lot of energy and Loki was desperate for sleep.

Finally, his eyes found what he was looking for. The house was small with soft yellow stones and a white front door. It counted two floors and had a large, blooming garden in the back. A small path that lead to the front door had been decorated with flowers and an old oak cast the left side of the house in a large shadow. When Loki came within fifty meters of the house, he watched how the white door opened.

It had been months, perhaps even years, since he last saw her, but she had not changed at all. She was a small woman, appearing fragile, but Loki knew that to underestimate her. Her blue eyes stood wide and shone brightly in the fading sunlight. Her black hair lay loosely around her shoulders, making her skin appear even more fair.

Sigyn had always been a beautiful woman.

She waited until Loki stood almost directly before her, her hands crossed before her stomach and a slight frown covering her face. It was clear that she hadn't expected Loki to show up on her doorstep.

"Loki?" She sounded concerned when she noticed the dried blood on his arms and hands. He had not even had time to clean himself. "Come inside, I'll get you some warm water and a towel."

Loki followed her silently and went to sit at the table. Sigyn disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a bowl of warm water, a towel over her shoulder and plate with bread. She must have noticed Loki was hungry as well. She all set it down before him and then took a seat beside him. With a gentle touch, she took Loki's left arm and began to clean the blood away with the help of the water and towel.

Loki didn't touch the food. He wasn't sure if he could get anything in his stomach without throwing it up again later in the evening.

"What happened?" She asked, not making eye contact.

"He's dead," Loki explained with a surprisingly steady voice. It felt like he was retelling a story, not his reality. "I killed Thor, my own brother."

Sigyn's eyes flitted across Loki's face, but she quickly refocused on his arm. It was nice to feel the warm water on his skin, but Loki felt horrible when he saw the pink water. That was his brother's blood.

"I imagined myself killing him many times," he continued, feeling slightly nauseous, "but now that I have done so… I don't feel pride or accomplished. I feel…nothing." He hadn't noticed how Sigyn had stopped cleaning his arms and when he looked at her face, he could see that she felt torn. For some reason, Sigyn had always supported him, but she had not been afraid to speak her mind against him. Now she seemed unsure what to say.

"You can stay here," she said after a long silence, "the Allfather won't find you here."

Loki knew that to be true. He didn't know what punishment he would receive should Odin be able to find him. Perhaps he would be locked in a cell for a few centuries. Perhaps he would be whipped and tortured for it. Perhaps…just perhaps he would be executed. Loki found it strangely comforting, however. A part of him wanted to be found.

A part of him wanted to return to the palace because his mother was there. For some reason, he longed for her. He wanted to be with her and look into her eyes. He wanted to ask her forgiveness because he had murdered her son. In the end, Frigga was everything Odin was not. She was caring, she tried to understand him and she would try not judge him. However, all of that might have changed now.

Because he had killed Thor.

"Loki?"

"Thank you," he said, glad that she had pulled him out of his thoughts. He watched how Sigyn cleaned his arms again. The blood was nearly all gone and Loki felt he could breathe better again. There was still tightness in his chest, though, but he figured that would not leave. "I am sorry to show up like this, but I had nowhere else to go."

Sigyn managed a weak smile, but Loki could see that she felt uneasy. Sigyn was many things, but she was Æsir as well. Thor was not only her brother-in-law, but her future king as well. Loki could see she mourned for him. "You're my husband," she said, "I am loyal to you." She pushed the plate with bread closer to him. "Now eat this. You need to get your strength back up."

Loki only nodded and did as she asked.

oOo

The cold air was the first thing that he became aware of. The fact that he was breathing was the second thing he realized. Thor's eyes opened quickly and his hands instinctively searched for Mjolnir. They found nothing and Thor felt uneasy. He never felt completely safe without his weapon. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and allowed his gaze to slide around.

Who he found sent shivers down his back.

"Hello, uncle." When Hela smiled, she resembled her father. They shared the same smile, one that was a bit crooked. One that hid something just underneath the surface, _something_ that Thor could never begin to understand.

Slowly, Thor reached for his chest where Loki had stabbed him. For some reason, he expected there to be a large, gaping hole, but he found nothing. Underneath his shirt, his skin was unbroken. He did find a small, but long pink scar. "I've died," he breathed. The statement was meant entirely for himself. He quickly turned his gaze back to his niece. When he died, he hadn't expected to see her. "Are you my welcoming committee?"

Both Hela's eyebrows rose. Her one bright eye spoke of confusion and suspicion, while her other eye remained empty and cold. Thor was that she would have made a very beautiful woman if it wasn't for the half dead part of her body. "More like your 'get up and get out of here'-committee."

That made absolutely no sense. "Excuse me?" Thor waited for Hela to explain further, but she only narrowed her eyes. "I am dead, I cannot leave."

"You _were_ dead and you _can_ leave." Hela corrected him. She sounded distant and appeared uninterested as she studied her nails. Thor hadn't expected anything else. They might be family, but they never got along well. There was bitterness between them that Thor did not like, but he could not help it either. Too much had happened between them. That's why he didn't understand what was going on. "I held up my end of the bargain," she added.

"Bargain?" Thor did not like that word. If Hela had indeed made some kind of bargain, then who did she make it with and how was Thor involved? A dreadful feeling crept up his back and Thor wasn't sure if he wanted to know more.

"Oh, but I see now," Hela's eyes focused entirely on her uncle. The entire situation suddenly appeared to amuse her. "You actually have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

Anger and frustration now replaced the dread and distrust. Now he did want answers and he wanted them now. "Then explain it to me!"

"My dear, dear uncle," the words flowed across her tongue as if they were drips of venom, "this is the work of your father. He came to me, told me how he feared for your life so he offered me a deal. Apparently, there was quiet the situation going on on Earth and you cou could die. In that case I would…revive you. That lies within my power as ruler of this deadly realm. In exchange, the Allfather promised my father's freedom."

"Loki's freedom for my life," Thor breathed. He could not take his eyes away from Hela. She was speaking the truth; he could see and hear it in her eyes and voice. Yet, he did not understand. "Why would you do that? Last time I checked, you and Loki weren't on the best of terms."

"But he is my father," Hela said, "he is my family. If we do not look out for each other, then who will?" The more she spoke, the angrier she became. "The Æsir care nothing for their own kind, the Allfather only cares for you."

Thor could not reply. He could not contradict her words while a small voice in the back of his head told him that she might as well be speaking the truth. The Æsir had never been too kind to Loki and they certainly had never been too kind to his children. Hela had only ever experienced their cruelty.

"So leave," Hela spat the words, "I held up my end of the bargain. You died and I restored you to life. Do not think I will do it again. I gave you a chance to exit this realm, but if you refuse, then that is not my problem."

Slowly, Thor rose to his feet. "How do I leave?"

Hela shrugged. "I suppose you call for Heimdall."

"Thank you," Thor said.

"Tell me," Hela waved away her uncle's words, "did it hurt? When my father killed you, did it hurt?"

For a moment, Thor thought about the question. He thought back to the moment where Loki's scepter had pierced his chest and he felt his heart skip a beat. It felt as if a giant claw embraced his chest and squeezed it too tightly. "Yes," he spoke truthfully, "it did hurt."

A smile curved Hela's lips upwards.

"Does that satisfy you?"

"Oh yes," Hela replied, "very much so."

That answer didn't startle nor scar Thor. He could only say, "You're a peculiar child." He then turned his back to her and began walking away. Now that he still had the chance to leave this realm of the dead, he wanted to take it. Though he supposed he shouldn't exactly feel lucky. There was no telling what he would find when he returned to Midgard. He could only hope that Loki had ceased his rampage.

Perhaps something good could come from his death then.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**AN: First of all, I am so sorry that you had to wait so long for this chapter. I just finished my internship so I had a busy few weeks… Secondly, thanks so much for all the reviews! I'm glad so many are still enjoying this Finally, I just wanted to give you a name; Alexandra Daddario. That's the actress I envision when I write Sigyn. I somehow find her perfect, especially her eyes. If Sigyn would ever (due to some miracle) play in Thor 2, who would you want to play her?**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 19**

oOo

A few days later

oOo

Thor inhaled deeply. Days had passed since he had woken in Hela's companionship, but he had not been strong enough to travel to earth. Having called for Heimdall, he had found himself transported back to Asgard where his father had been awaiting him patiently. Thor had smiled when looking at Odin. It was because of him that he still lived.

His mother had embraced him tightly, telling him she loved him. Sif and the Warriors three had been present as well and they had greeted Thor appropriately. There had been a feast, but Thor had been surprised to find himself tired. Waking from the dead had been a stressful event and his body, as well as his mind, had been in need of rest.

Now Thor stood on the balcony of his bedchamber. The people of Asgard were waking with the sun just beginning to rise on the horizon. Today was the day that Thor would return to Midgard. He had no idea how his friends had faired since his death and he was slightly nervous about seeing them. Heimdall had told him the Midgardians were mourning him and Thor felt guilty.

He could have sent someone to tell them the truth, but somehow that had seemed inappropriate. They should learn the news from Thor himself. Still, he felt nervous. They might be angry to find him still alive. Not because he was alive, but because he had waited so long to tell them.

A soft knock sounded behind him and Thor walked back inside. "Enter."

It was Frigga who entered, a warm smile playing on her lips. She wore a golden dress with her hair pulled back. The small wrinkles around her eyes did not speak of age, but of wisdom. Thor couldn't help but return the smile when looking at her.

"I hear you're returning today," she said, walking towards the long table that stood near the left of the chamber. A plate with food stood there untouched and Frigga frowned slightly. "Are you not hungry? Are you not well?"

"I am fine, mother," Thor assured her kindly. She was always so worried for him. "And yes, I am going back to earth today. My friends still believe me dead. I must change that."

Frigga nodded, agreeing with the idea. "They'll be thrilled," she said, "it doesn't happen often that a person rises from the dead. It's rare, even for our kind."

"Yes," Thor lowered his gaze to his hands, remembering the events clearly. He had dreams about it, cold and eerie images filling his head. Thor wouldn't call himself spooked or traumatized by the events, but dying was not something pleasant. "I saw Hela," he said, remembering his niece so clearly, "she cares for Loki, more than we do I think."

Frigga didn't seem surprised by her son's words. "Loki is many things, but he is not a bad parent. Asgard had never been kind to him or his children, I know this, but we have tried our best none the less. I hope Loki will one day understand what Odin did."

Thor raised one eyebrow, looking skeptically at his mother. "Would you have allowed anyone to take me?"

Frigga remained silent for a long moment, but then shook her head. "Of course not."

"Loki had to watch it happen multiple times," Thor sighed, trying to feel empathy with his brother. Loki had never been easy to love, but Thor did so none the less. He had never tried to imagine how Loki felt about his children, however. "I cannot image the horror he felt when Odin took every child away from him."

"That's different." But Frigga's eyes teared up.

"It is not, mother," Thor almost sounded annoyed, "there will come a day that Asgard, that _we_ will have to pay for what we did. Father says he did it for the good of this realm and the universe, but that means nothing to Loki. I cannot blame him for killing me."

"Do not say that," Frigga said, horrified, "I love Loki, he is my son and he will _always_ be my son, but he killed you. I don't know if there is any way to came back from that. I fear his soul is lost to us."

"I don't know," Thor said contemplative, "it depend."

"On what?"

"On what he'll do next."

oOo

The fire did not scorn his skin. It danced in the middle of his palm, wildly and intensely, but Loki didn't feel any heat. When he closed his hand, his fingers wrapping themselves around the fire, it died out. He closed his eyes, refocused his magic and when he opened his eyes again, the fire once again blazed brilliantly upon his skin.

"Wildfire."

Loki had not heard Sigyn coming so he quickly released the magic and lowered his hand. A puff of smoke twirled upwards. When he turned around to look at her, he found a beautiful young woman stand before him. She wore a light blue dress that tightly embraced her body. Her lips were ruby red, her eyes luminous due to the dress. Her hair had been pulled into a tight ponytail, making her features appear sharp.

"That was wildfire, wasn't it?" Sigyn asked, her eyes wide with astonishment. "I always was mesmerized by the idea of magic."

"I know," Loki smiled, looking at his empty hands.

"Perhaps you could teach me a few tricks," Sigyn said hopefully.

"I think not," Loki sighed, turning away from her, "after all this time, I am beginning to think that magic might not be good for me."

"I don't understand," Sigyn walked up to him and placed a hand on his back, "you're a natural in the crafts, Loki, you are one of the best in the nine realms."

"And where has that lead me?" Loki looked at Sigyn again, his gaze challenging. "Am I a good person? A good man? I am not, Sigyn, nor will I ever be. I killed hundreds of people over the past few months alone with my magic." He swallowed heavily at that idea. "When I was a child, I remember thinking that I would achieve greatness because of my magic, but now all I have done is wreak havoc and destruction. I killed Thor!"

Sigyn said nothing. She only looked at Loki with pity in her eyes. "You miss him."

"I do," he admitted. He took Sigyn's hand and held it in his own. Sigyn had never been close to the royal family and she had never known Thor well. He remembered her saying that she liked him, that she admired his strength. He had been angry at her for saying that, but she had not paid it any attention. "I fought him every day of my life," he continued to say, "I envied him since childhood. I still do. But when I was out there, I knew Thor was out there as well. In the end, when things got bad, we had each other's back."

Sigyn stepped forward and took Loki's other hand into her own as well. She brought them up to her lips and kissed them softly. "You are not a bad man, Loki. You have done bad things, yes, but to me, you are not a bad man."

Loki chuckled humorlessly. "I have not even been a good husband. I only ever come to you when I am in trouble."

"Which honors me," Sigyn smiled almost devilishly as if many thoughts lay hidden behind her large blue eyes. Loki didn't doubt Sigyn thought more of him, but she was honorable enough not to tell him. Her gaze suddenly softened as she placed a hand on his cheek. "You come to me when you have nowhere else to go. I am your safe haven; I will always be your safe haven. I love you, Loki, and I didn't in the beginning. It took me time to get to know you, to get used to you, but eventually I saw the man you really are."

Loki could hardly believe a word she spoke. It almost seemed impossible that a woman like Sigyn actually loved him.

"Now come inside with me," she continued, "I have prepared dinner."

oOo

Tony lazily pressed the same button on the remote control over and over again. Next channel, nothing. Next channel, nothing. Next channel, nothing. This behavior had annoyed everyone to the extent that they had simply left Tony alone in his living room. Steve had gone to find solitude in one of the many bedrooms. Bruce and Natasha were talking in the kitchen (no doubt about Thor) and Clint was currently outside practicing his aim. Not that his aim needed any practicing. Everyone simply needed some time alone since Thor's death.

Getting to the next channel, Tony found himself looking at a news report. It talked about the destruction Loki had caused these past few days and Tony suddenly grew exhausted. He switched of his TV and threw aside the remote control. Loki had not been seen nor heard since Thor's death and Tony wished he knew where he was. He wanted to beat the snot out of him. If only for the mess he made.

Jane was still in the hospital, but she was set to be released today. Her concussion had healed, but she was still light-sensitive and sore all over her body. Pepper had not wanted to leave her side since that dreadful day. Jane had found support with Erik and Darcy, but she had grown close with Pepper as well. Tony knew it was because they both loved a 'superhero'. Dying was a risk they took every day, but Tony simply hadn't expected it to be so soon.

He rubbed a hand across his face and sighed. He was just about to call Pepper when he heard his front door open. Normally, he wouldn't think twice about it, but there was something about the footsteps that sounded awfully familiar. That and JARVIS' words made his heart skip a beat.

"Sir, Thor Odinson has entered."

"_What_?" he breathed. He quickly moved to the hall where he instantly found himself staring at the gigantic posture of a golden demi-god. Thor smiled at him, revealed a row of perfect white teeth. His golden hair shone brilliantly under the sun and his muscles looked as big as usual. This could not be a zombie.

"Hello, my friend," Thor said the words as if they were an apology.

"But-" Tony didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think. "You're died!"

"And now I have returned," Thor smiled, lifting his arms as if to show that he was speaking the truth, "it is a long tale, but I do hope you'll let me tell it."

"I just…" Tony closed his eyes for five long seconds, pinched himself in his flesh and then opened his eyes again. Thor was still looking back at him, frowning now. "You're really back? Guys! _Guys_, come quickly!"

Tony stepped forward and held out a hand. He couldn't suppress a smile, thinking only of how good the God of Thunder looked. Thor pushed away the hand and embraced Tony tightly for a short moment.

"Oh. My. God!" Natasha whispered the words as she appeared in the hallway with Bruce. Both of them looked glued to the floor as if they were unable to move all of a sudden. Steve came running down the stairs, prepared for battle as he had heard Tony's loud voice, but he too stopped dead in his tracks when he laid eyes on Thor. It was Clint who had a 'normal' reaction considering the circumstances.

"Welcome back," he simply said, shaking Thor's hand. Both of them smiled at each other. "You look good for a dead guy."

"I am not dead," Thor clarified, "my father made a deal with Hela, ruler of Valhalla and Goddess of Death, that if I were to die, she would revive me and allow me to return to Asgard or any other realm."

"And what did she get in return?" Natasha asked, looking apprehensive.

"Loki's freedom."

"What?" Steve asked. "Are you saying that Loki got away with your murder? With the murder of innocent people?"

Thor looked sad. He understood what Steve was telling him, but that had been the deal and it could not be broken. "Do not think my brother is not punished," he said quickly when he watched his friends grow angry, "Loki knows what he has done and he will face the consequences of his actions. He is not evil and I believe he knows remorse. He won't bother us for a long time."

"How can you be sure?" Bruce asked.

"I like to believe I still know him," Thor answered, unsure whether or not he had just spoken the truth. Loki had changed so much these past few years and Thor found himself growing further away from him every single day. "Now please tell me, how is Jane?"

"She grieves for you," Clint said, "but she's fine."

"We'll take you to her," Bruce said.

"Thank you, my friends."

"Don't thank us," Steve smiled, "we're just glad you're back."

**AN: Don't worry, there is more coming, though I don't think a lot. The next chapter might be the last one. I remember starting this story and thinking that it would only be a few chapters long, but look at this now! 19 chapters! But what did you think of this chapter?**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Tides Change**

**Chapter 20**

It had been surprisingly easy for Thor to settle back into his old life. Jane was still overprotective, but Tony had already begun making jokes out of the whole situation (much to Bruce's annoyance). But he was back, alive and healthy, and even the villains of this world seemed to give the Avengers some slack. Exactly eleven days had passed since Thor had returned to Midgard and not one threat had been reported.

If this lasted any longer, Thor would find himself craving for battle. Anything was better than staying inside for so long. Especially when Jane did nothing but cook and bake while constantly hanging on the phone with Darcy.

"No, I have a class to teach in the morning, Darcy," Jane said into the telephone, "but I would appreciate it if you'd bring my notes from last week." Thor smiled when he saw Jane rolling her eyes. "I know you're not my personal assistant, but since you borrowed my notes, I would like to have them back. I'm still your professor."

Thor turned his attention away from her and allowed his thoughts to turn to Loki. For the past few days, he had avoided thinking of his brother. He hadn't been successful, but Thor knew he couldn't avoid the subject for much longer. He had to face the fact that Loki had killed him. When he thought of it, his chest hurt.

"Thor?"

He hadn't realized Jane had disconnected the call and was now looking at him with a frown on her face. She looked beautiful as ever, with her brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and her dark eyes piercing his.

"Did you ask something?"

"Yes," Jane smiled, apparently finding Thor's confusion amusing. Then her smile faded and she began frowning again. "What's on your mind? You look troubled."

Thor inhaled deeply, instantly thinking of Loki again. At this point, he didn't know what he thought of him. "I was wondering if I should try and contact my brother. Perhaps I should try and talk to him again, only I do not know where he is or what I could tell him."

"I understand," Jane said softly, indicating that she didn't entirely agreed with Thor. Jane had made it no secret that she thoroughly disliked Loki. He had killed the man she loved after all and that had only been his last act. "Loki is still your brother and he will always be your brother. What he did, however, is there still hope for him?"

"There must be," Thor said almost stubbornly. He had watched Asgard turn against his brother, he had watched Midgard despise him, but Thor would be damned if he turned his back on his own brother. "If I lose hope then who will fight for him? Who will protect him when he needs protection the most?"

Jane said nothing, but her eyes betrayed what she truly felt. She was confused and didn't understand how Thor could think like that. Not after everything that happened.

"I know you find it difficult to understand," he told her, "and I do not agree with what he did, but I fear that if I turn my back on him, Loki will be lost forever. He is a powerful man, Jane, but also a broken one. I know that deep down in his heart, he feels remorse for everything. There _is_ still hope."

"But aren't your angry?" Jane asked, trying to get a better understanding of what Thor was telling her. "He killed you, stabbed you through your heart."

"That he did," Thor sighed, remembering the events vividly. He could still feel the scepter breaking his skin and chest. "It doesn't mean, however, that to love him, is to forgive him."

"I think that's exactly what loves means," Jane said, half smiling now, "and I think that you have already forgiven him deep down. Am I right?"

Thor was amazed by how easily Jane understood him. She was one of the few that knew what he was saying without having to use many words. Once Sif had been able to do that, but she and Thor had grown apart over the last few years. Thor could only find himself lucky to have met such a beautiful and smart woman like Jane.

"You amaze me, Jane Foster," Thor smiled.

Jane moved closer to where Thor was sitting and pressed a kiss against his lips. "I love you, Thor Odinson."

Thor kissed her back.

oOo

Loki had been reading a book when Sigyn had entered. He could instantly feel that something was wrong. The little hairs on the back of his neck stood up and a shiver ran down his spine. He looked up and found Sigyn's eyes merely staring at him. She seemed different than before. More tense somehow even though she never lost her graces.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She folded her hands together and went to sit next to him. There was something about her behavior that almost alarmed Loki. "I have gone to the market," she began to explain, her large blue eyes never leaving his green ones, "and I heard something. At first I didn't understand, but then I learned the truth."

"Sigyn," Loki said softly, urging her to say more, "tell me."

Sigyn swallowed heavily. "Your brother lives."

Loki could hear the words, but he didn't understand them. How could Sigyn be telling him this? Was this a lie? A joke? If so, it was a very bad one. A very cruel one. When Loki continued to look into her eyes, however, he knew that she was speaking the truth.

"Thor lives?" he echoed.

"Apparently, Odin made a deal with Hela when he feared for Thor's life; your freedom in exchange for Thor to be revived." Sigyn spoke each word with the uttermost care. She knew how dangerous her words were for Loki. "That's why no one has come looking for you yet – not that they would ever find us."

It had become hard for Loki to speak. "He…_lives_?"

Sigyn nodded, not sure what her husband was currently experiencing. "Loki, talk to me."

"I have to see him," he quickly said, the words flowing from his lips now. It felt as he had been thrown from a nightmare into a dream. Though still a very dark dream, one with blurred edges and a fog clouding his vision. Could it be that his brother was all right? Could Loki have escaped this horrible destiny? He had never wanted to murder his own brother and now it seemed he had been given a second chance.

"You can't go to Midgard," Sigyn said, only thinking of the dangers that were on that planet, "Odin might have granted you freedom, but those mortals don't owe you anything. They would capture you, lock you away!"

"They won't," Loki said, "besides, Thor will be the only one to see me. I will be safe, Sigyn, and I will return."

A short moment of silence passed, but Sigyn nodded and even managed to produce a smile. She leaned forward while placing a hand on Loki's cheek. Their kiss was short, but intense and Loki returned her smile when they broke apart.

"I will be waiting."

Loki nodded and then magically transported himself away from Asgard.

oOo

Loki found Thor in the top level of the Stark Tower. He looked like his normal self, something which Loki hadn't really expected. He didn't know what he'd expected, but Thor looked good with his golden hair, golden skin and bright blue eyes. He looked…_alive_. Loki didn't dare to reveal himself just yet. He needed a moment to recollect his thoughts. After all, he was looking at the man he had killed. He didn't know how Thor would react upon seeing him. Would he be angry? Disappointed? Knowing Thor, he would probably try and beat him with Mjolnir.

Good to know that the hammer wasn't directly in sight.

Finally the moment came when Loki found the courage to face his brother and to face his actions. He revealed himself, knowing that Thor wouldn't actually be able to hurt him. He had only projected himself into the room which meant he was there physically.

When Thor suddenly found his brother standing before him, he widened his eyes and parted his lips as if he wanted to say something. No sound came from his mouth, however, and he didn't move.

"Hello, brother," Loki said, thankful that his own voice sounded strong and even. Thor only stared at him as if he couldn't really understand what was happening. "Good to see you alive."

Thor swallowed heavily as a means to recover himself. Then he smiled. He actually _smiled_. "You look well," he said after a long excruciating silence.

"Had you expected something else?" Loki asked almost tauntingly. Thor had probably expected him to be locked in a cell or viciously punished for killing him. Then another thought came to Loki; did Thor even know about the deal? He had to.

"I am glad to see you," Thor simply stated.

Loki would have raised an eyebrow at those words, but he didn't want to reveal too much of his emotions and inner thoughts. He needed to remain in control over the situation. "I couldn't believe it when I first heard the tale," he said, "the mighty Thor was back from the dead. Then I thought; well if anyone is to get special treatment, it would be the golden boy of Asgard."

He didn't know why he said what he said. He had come here with good intentions, but somehow he felt angry when looking at his brother. It was proof yet again that Odin favored him.

"I didn't expect to come back either," Thor said, remaining calm and collected. He did hear the anger in Loki's voice, that much was obvious by his cautious gaze. "I had no idea of the deal father made."

Loki stepped to the window and was momentarily amazed by the view of the city. Midgard had beauty, though it much differed from Asgard's beauty. "It's interesting, though," he said, "do you think he would have done it for me?"

Thor said nothing and Loki smiled. Silence was a good enough answer.

"Father only thought about what was best for the both of us," Thor said, his voice hard. He clearly didn't like the way Loki spoke about their father. "You killed me, Loki, but father set you free."

"Because he had you back!" Loki spun around, knowing that anger radiated from his eyes. "His son and heir." The words dripped from his tongue like poison.

"You twist everything," Thor nearly shouted, "father loves you, mother loves you. We all miss you, but you continue to be so…stubborn!"

"I really wish I could believe you," Loki sighed. Without realizing, he revealed how true his words were, how sad and broken he truly felt. He looked at Thor and found that his brother took pity on him. This was not what he wanted.

"Why can you not believe it?" Thor asked.

Loki pressed his lips together, feeling a white heat crawl up his chest and neck. He knew he was no longer in control of the situation. "Because Odin only ever wanted to use me and when you were in danger, he used my daughter!"

Thor clearly didn't follow Loki's train of thoughts.

"He used her sense of loyalty and love to make that deal," Loki explained, trying to keep his voice under control. He was only half succeeding. "Don't get me wrong, I am glad Hela accepted, that you are back, but it still wrong."

Thor only looked at him.

"I killed you, Thor," Loki continued softly, no longer able to bear his brother's eyes on him. They were too accusing even though Thor did not accuse him at all. "Are you not angry?"

Thor shook his head. "I thought that if anyone had the right, it was you."

Loki was taken aback by those words. He had already seen Thor agitated, but when he had spoken those few words, he looked honest and sincere. There wasn't even the faintest hint of anger in his voice.

"What's done is done," Thor said, "and I can see that you regret killing me. That is enough. I forgive you, Loki, and I hope that one day, you'll be able to forgive me for everything that has happened."

Those words weren't fair. Now it was expected of Loki to do the honorable thing and forgive Thor as well. He didn't want to, however, he…_couldn't_. "Perhaps one day," he spoke softly. The conversation had lasted long enough and Thor sensed that Loki felt this way.

"Where are you staying?" The golden brother asked.

For a second, Loki hesitated to answer truthfully, but there really was no harm in it. Even if Thor knew, he would never be able to find them. "With Sigyn."

"Ah," Thor smiled, "take good care of her, she is a good woman."

"I know." Loki looked into his brother's eyes for a long second and found only love and acceptance. Perhaps they could one day be brothers again. One day…in a future where Loki would have found his place in this universe. "Goodbye, brother."

Thor's smile broadened. "Goodbye."

oOo

The End

oOo

**AN: That's it! I finished this story. It seemed to have lasted forever Thanks for anyone who stuck with it until the very end. I might have an idea for a sequel, anyone interested in that? Let me know what you thought of this last chapter!**

**Greetz – Cass**


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